CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Public Swimming Pools

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  what action she has taken to ensure that access to public swimming pools in London increases;
	(2)  what action she (a) can and (b) will take to increase the number of swimming pools in London.

Richard Caborn: pursuant to his reply, 7 September 2004, Official Report, c. 1226W
	The Amateur Swimming Association (ASA) is one of the 12 National Governing Bodies (NGB) able to bid for Community Club Development Programme funding from a budget of £20 million. £1.66 million has been earmarked for each NGB's ability to propose and deliver projects that meet the criteria of the programme.
	I regret that in my previous answer I intimated that the ASA would receive £1.6 million from the Community Club Development Programme without first having to meet the set criteria for the Programme.

Television Licences

Anne Picking: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many care homes in the UK are (a) eligible for and (b) in receipt of block television reception licences for sheltered housing.

Estelle Morris: The Accommodation for Residential Care concessionary scheme is open to nursing and residential homes and sheltered housing schemes which meet the qualifying criteria set out in the television licence fee regulations. 28,028 such establishments held concessionary licences at the end of August 2004, as recorded by TV Licensing. Entitlement to the concession can be determined only on receipt of an application; no information is therefore available on the eligibility of establishments which have not applied.

Television Licences

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many people are in receipt of a free television licence in the United Kingdom over the age of 75 years.

Estelle Morris: At the end of August 2004, approximately 3.5 million people aged 75 or over were in receipt of a free television licence. In addition, just under 400,000 over-75s living in housing covered by Accommodation for Residential Care group licences had their £5 fee waived under the free licence scheme.

DEFENCE

Departmental Spending

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much (a) his Department and (b) agencies of the Department have spent on electricity use in each year since 1997.

Ivor Caplin: The amounts spent by the Ministry of Defence in the UK on the purchase of electricity are:
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 1997–98 112.0 
			 1998–99 110.0 
			 1999–2000 101.7 
			 2000–01 96.1 
		
	
	These figures are VAT exclusive at current prices. Comparable figures are not available after 2000–01 as the Ministry of Defence moved to reporting of aggregated utilities (gas, electricity and water supply) expenditure in the Departmental Resources and Accounts. However details of expenditure on utilities is published in the National Statistics Publication: UK Defence Statistics 2003: Table 1.8 Defence Expenditure Outturn in the UK by Industry Group. A copy is available in the Library of the House.

Freedom of Information Act

James Arbuthnot: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department is implementing the full terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Ivor Caplin: With the exception of the Special Forces and any military unit assisting GCHQ, the Ministry of Defence and the armed forces are subject to the Freedom of Information Act 2000. As such, we will comply with the duties which the Act places on all public authorities. In accordance with the timetable announced in November 2001, the first phase of implementation was achieved in November 2002 when MOD's Publication Scheme was made available. The general right of access to information will be implemented from 1 January 2005.

Military Aircraft

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the average annual operating cost is per (a) Tornado GR, (b) Jaguar GR1/A/3/3A, (c) Jaguar T2A/T4 and (d) Tornado F3; and what the estimated average operating cost is per Eurofighter.

Adam Ingram: The average annual operating cost per aircraft is as follows:
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 Tornado GR4 10.4 
			 Jaguar GR1/3 5.6 
			 Jaguar T2/4 5.5 
			 Tornado F3 9.1 
		
	
	The estimated cost for the Eurofighter Typhoon is £4.7 million for 2004–05. This annual average will increase over time as the number of hours flown by each aircraft increases.
	The figures in the table are based on the Actual Operating Fleet (average annual number of aircraft available to the RAF).

Military Aircraft

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the average annual support cost is per (a) Tornado GR, (b) Jaguar GR1/A/3/3A, (c) Jaguar T2A/T4 and (d) Tornado F3; and what the estimated average support cost is per Eurofighter.

Adam Ingram: The average annual cost incurred by the Defence Logistics Organisation (at 2004–05 prices) to support a Tornado aircraft is £1.6 million and £1.5 million for the Jaguar. As many of the spares and much of the equipment used to support an aircraft fleet is common across all variants, it is not possible to accurately attribute costs to individual marks of aircraft.
	Based on through-life support estimates it is expected that the total, Defence-wide, annual average support cost (at 2004–05 prices) for a Eurofighter aircraft will be £2.2 million.
	As part of our drive to transform logistics we are working with industry to reduce the costs of supporting in-service aircraft, including the future fast-jet fleet.

Provigil

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what quantities of Provigil and similar drugs have been purchased by his Department in each of the last five years; and at what cost.

Ivor Caplin: The quantity and cost of Provigil purchased by the MOD in the last five years is as follows:
	
		
			 Financial Year (1 April to 31 March) Volume of purchase (30100mg pack) Average price per pack excluding VAT (£) Total (£) 
		
		
			 1999 141 52.21 7,361.61 
			 2000 52 53.85 2,800.20 
			 2001 175 53.85 9,423.75 
			 2002 146 53.85 7,862.10 
			 2003 89 53.85 4,792.65 
			 2004 (to date) 117 53.85 6,300.45 
			 Total (1)720 — 38,540.76 
		
	
	(1) 720 packs x 30 tablets = 21,600 tablets.

Renewable Energy (Departmental Use)

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of electricity used by buildings in (a) his Department and (b) its agencies has come from renewable sources in each year since 1997.

Ivor Caplin: The Ministry of Defence and its agencies did not purchase any electricity from climate change levy exempt sources until 2002–03 when 2.8 per cent. was acquired from such sources. The estimate for 2003–04 is 5 per cent. based on the minimum percentage specified in electricity supply contracts. Actual figures for 2003–04 are not yet available.

Territorial Army

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what (a) the total strength of the Territorial Army, (b) the number of mobilised reservists and (c) the current Territorial Army deployment figures are.

Ivor Caplin: The information is as follows:
	As at 1 September 2004:
	(a) the total strength of Territorial Army was 35,480;
	(b) the number of Army mobilised Regular Reservists was 100;
	(c) the number of mobilised TA personnel was 2,200.

Iraq

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his oral statement of 10 May 2004, Official Report, columns 21–39, on Iraq, whether the routine hooding of prisoners in UK facilities in Iraq was contrary to instructions; on what basis the routine hooding was authorised, and by whom; whether hooding continues of Iraqis by UK forces outside UK facilities; whether hooding by UK forces outside facilities is contrary to instructions; and if he will make a statement.

Geoff Hoon: Prisoners held in UK detention facilities in Iraq have not, at any time, been routinely hooded.
	Hooding was discontinued in Iraq when there was no longer a military justification for continuing the practice. Hooding during arrest and transit is acceptable when there is a strong military reason to do it, for example to offer security to our own forces and locations or to protect the detainee (by preventing identification by other detainees).

Welsh Regiments

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many regiments will be based in Wales following the review of the infantry.

Adam Ingram: Details of the new infantry structure and the associated implications for the Army's basing strategy are currently being worked through by the Army and the hon. Member will understand that I cannot pre-empt this work. Further announcements will be made before the end of this year.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

English Heritage

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will evaluate the quality of the advice given to his Department by English Heritage.

Keith Hill: English Heritage provides the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister with advice on a range of matters. These include the review of the planning system, and characterisation of growth areas. The Government are satisfied with the advice provided, and does not see the need for a more formal evaluation.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Disabled People (Departmental Initiatives)

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list the major initiatives his Department has undertaken since 1997 in relation to disabled people.

Charles Clarke: I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer from my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on 16 September 2004, Official Report, column 1738W. In addition to the Government initiatives that he has already outlined, I would like to set out in more detail some of the work my Department is delivering in this important area.
	The Green Paper "Every Child Matters" set out a vision for children's services, which included proposals to provide education, health, and social care around the needs of the child rather than the needs of professionals. It proposed that new Children's Director posts be established in each local authority with responsibility for education and social care and the development of Children's Trusts to commission multi-agency services including health, education and social care. A number of Children Trust Pilots were set up to test how this could work. This has included eight Children's Trusts who are focusing on services for disabled children.
	Proposals in the Green Paper for a common assessment framework, improving information sharing and providing lead professionals for children with complex needs, will particularly benefit disabled children and their families. The Green Paper has also set out some specific commitments on disabled children around improving early intervention, family support, education and transition services.
	The National Service Framework for children was published last month. This is a joint DH/DfES publication. The national standards in the NSF provide a coherent and integrated approach to services for disabled children. They will help ensure better access and smoother progression in the provision of services for children, from initial contact with the NHS, via a GP surgery or NHS hospital, through to social services support and education.
	We have provided ring-fenced Sure Start funding to local authorities for disabled children in early years settings, and ensured such settings pay due regard to the SEN code of practice. This includes the introduction of Special Needs Coordinators, (SENCOs), for early years provision. The Disability Discrimination Act was also amended to include Government funded nursery education and child-care provision within its duties, along with general education.
	As a result of the Special Education Needs and Disability Act (SENDA) 2001, schools are under a duty not to discriminate against disabled pupils for a reason relating to their disability. They must:
	not treat disabled pupils less favourably, without justification, than pupils and students who are not disabled; and
	make reasonable adjustments to ensure that disabled pupils and students are not put at a substantial disadvantage in comparison to those who are not disabled.
	Schools and local education authorities (LEAs) are also under a duty to plan strategically to increase access to schools for disabled pupils and must publish accessibility plans (schools) and accessibility strategies (LEAs). The duty covers improvements to physical access, access to the curriculum, and access to information in alternative formats.
	"Removing Barriers to Achievement", published this year, set out a long term vision for SEN and a programme of action to improve outcomes for children with SEN and disabilities. It included the development of a strategy to improve childcare for families with disabled children and practical tools to support schools in carrying out their statutory duties towards disabled pupils.
	New duties were also placed on those bodies responsible for Further and Higher Education Institutions, Adult and Community Learning and Statutory Youth Services by SENDA. These duties include:
	it being unlawful to discriminate against disabled students by treating them less favourably than others;
	making provision for reasonable adjustments, including the accessibility of course materials, where disabled students might otherwise be substantially disadvantaged;
	from 2005, the need to adapt the physical features of premises.
	In addition, Section 13 of the Learning and Skills Act 2000 requires the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) to pay particular regard to the needs of young people and adults with learning difficulties and disabilities (LDD) when exercising its functions. Section 14 requires the LSC to have due regard to the promotion of equality of opportunity between people with a disability and people without.
	From 1 October 2004 the Disability Discrimination Act has been extended to provide protection to people undertaking vocational qualifications. Organisations which award qualifications will be prohibited from discriminating against disabled people, must make reasonable adjustments in the assessment of candidates and must be able to demonstrate that competency standards represent a proportionate way of achieving a legitimate aim and do not unnecessarily discriminate. This provides a link between the employment provisions in Part II and those covering vocational training provided by Part IV and SENDA so that the legislation extends across all aspects of work and vocational training.
	Since 1997, the number of Disabled Students Allowance (DSA) awards—grants to help pay for the extra course-related costs which students in higher education may incur because of a disability or specific learning difficulty—has increased from 8,123 (expenditure £10.4 million) in 1996–97 to 47,523 (expenditure £54.9 million) in 2002–03. DSAs are not income-assessed and are paid in addition to the package of support for living costs available to other students. From 2005–06 DSAs are to be extended for the first time to full-time undergraduate students undertaking distance-learning courses.
	Further details of all of these initiatives can be found in the DfES Departmental Reports on the DfES website http://www.dfes.gov.uk/

Education Maintenance Allowance

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on the age bar for children who are not 16 in the requisite time period for the eligibility for education maintenance allowance; what leniency in determining awards is allowed; and what plans he has to change existing arrangements.

Ivan Lewis: We took the decision to phase in EMA from September 2004 to successive 16-year-old age groups rather than immediately offer the award to all young people in Further Education. There were good reasons for doing so. The main purpose of EMA is to encourage students to stay on in learning when otherwise they would have dropped out, and the older students already in education have already made that choice. The main exception is that young people who received EMA under the pilot arrangements are eligible to apply for EMA under the national scheme. We are keeping the EMA scheme arrangements under review but do not envisage any significant changes to the eligibility criteria for 2005–06.

Education Maintenance Allowance

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills why educational maintenance allowance eligibility is based on the previous tax year; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: Assessing EMA entitlement on the household income for the previous financial year provides the most complete and secure assessment of household income. If the household income decreases significantly within the year then the young person can apply for assistance under the Learner Support Fund.

Education Maintenance Allowance

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  which variant of the education maintenance allowances pilot schemes was selected for implementation in England;
	(2)  what financial assistance is available to students in sixth form education whose birth date falls before 1 September 1987.

Ivan Lewis: We tested eight different variants of EMA in 56 LEA pilot areas. The national EMA scheme draws on the evidence from the pilots but is not based on any single variant. Students who are resident within one of the 56 pilot areas and whose date of birth falls before 1 September 1987 may be entitled to EMA. Those young people whose date of birth falls before 1 September 1987 and who are not resident within a pilot area are entitled to apply for Learner Support funds.

FE Colleges

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of (a) the cost of the strategic area reviews of further education colleges and (b) the effect of the five-year plan on the progress of the reviews.

Ivan Lewis: The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) was established in 2001 to plan and fund post-16 education and training. LSC led strategic area reviews (StARs) were introduced in April 2003 and are an integral part of this planning role. No extra funding was allocated to carry out these reviews and it is therefore not possible to disaggregate their specific cost from the overall cost of the wide range of planning activities carried out by local LSCs.
	The DfES's five-year strategy published in July sets out our vision for an education and skills system to meet the needs of the 21st century. The StAR process supports this vision by mapping local provision and identifying the balance of provision there needs to be in a locality. The progress of the StAR process has not been affected in anyway by the five-year strategy and is still expected to complete in spring 2005 as originally planned.

Plumbing

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  whether providers of NVQ2 in plumbing are able to supply sufficient numbers of qualified assessors for students to be able to continue with their qualifications; and if he will make a statement on the requirement for workplace assessment;
	(2)  what the ratio is of qualified assessors to students with regard to the NVQ2 in plumbing, broken down by each institution that offers this qualification;
	(3)  how many providers are no longer able to offer NVQ2 for plumbing in the current academic year due to not being able to meet its required rates of qualified assessors to students.

Ivan Lewis: The information on the ratio of qualified assessors to learners is not available within the Department.
	The organisation of assessment arrangements is for the awarding bodies in conjunction with the centres which they have approved to deliver their qualifications, which in the case of the NVQ2 in plumbing is City and Guilds.
	The assessment strategies that must be implemented in NVQs are specified by the appropriate Sector Skills Council or sector body and approved by the regulatory authorities.

Pupil Exclusions

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many decisions taken by schools in Buckinghamshire permanently to exclude pupils were reversed by independent appeals panels in each year since 2000–01.

Ivan Lewis: The requested information is given in the following table.
	Figures for 2003–04 are not yet available. In January 2003 we reformed the legislation governing exclusion appeal panels to strike a better balance between the interests of the individual pupil and those of the school community as a whole. We changed the composition of independent appeal panels to include more members with experience of school life. Our guidance is that panels should not normally reinstate excluded pupils for a range of offences, including threatened or actual violence.
	
		Maintained primary, secondary and special schools(2): summary of exclusion appeals 2000–01 to 2002–03
		
			  Buckinghamshire LEA Appeals against exclusion from a school 
			  2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 
		
		
			 Number of appeals lodged 16 16 7 
			 Number of appeals heard 13 16 6 
			 Percentage of appeals heard(3) 81.3 100.0 85.7 
			 Number of appeals determined in  favour of parent/pupil 6 7 0 
			 Percentage of appeals determined  in favour of parent/pupil(4) 46.2 43.8 0.0 
		
	
	(2) Excludes non-maintained special schools.
	(3) Shown as a percentage of appeals lodged.
	(4) Shown as a percentage of appeals heard.
	Source:
	School Exclusion Appeals Survey

Sustainable Development Action Plan

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when he expects to fill the post of coordinator for the Sustainable Development Action Plan; and if he will make a statement.

Charles Clarke: An appointment is in the process of being made and will be confirmed shortly.

HOME DEPARTMENT

ASBOs (Buckingham)

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) antisocial behaviour orders and (b) curfew orders have been made in the Buckingham constituency since the commencement of the schemes.

Hazel Blears: The information is as follows.
	(a) Antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) have been available to the courts since 1 April 1999. From commencement, up to 31 March 2004 (latest available), the Home Office has been notified of three ASBOs issued where restrictions imposed are specific to Aylesbury Vale district council area of which the Buckingham constituency forms a part.
	(b) The table shows the number of curfew orders with and without electronic monitoring made at courts in the County of Buckinghamshire from 1996 to 2002. Court proceedings data for2003 will be available in November. It is not possible from the data available centrally to identify those made in the Buckingham constituency.
	
		Number of persons given curfew orders(5) in Buckinghamshire, 1996–2002
		
			  Adults Juveniles 
		
		
			 1996 — — 
			 1997 — — 
			 1998 — — 
			 1999 — 1 
			 2000 10 9 
			 2001 21 25 
			 2002 38 25 
			 Total 69 60 
		
	
	(5) Electronic and non-electronic orders.
	No applications have yet been received to establish a local child curfew scheme under section 14 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998. Some local authorities and police forces have considered the possibility but concluded that other measures should be taken to tackle relevant local problems.

Contestability

Julie Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how contestability differs from (a) market testing and (b) privatisation.

Paul Goggins: Contestability means obtaining the best value for money and the most effective supervision, punishment and care of offenders by opening up the prison and probation service to competition. We aim to engage the public, private, voluntary and 'not for profit' sectors, both in prison and the community, so that we can enhance public protection and deliver the most effective and efficient management of offenders. Market Testing, which has already been used successfully in the Prison Service and has demonstrated that public services can compete effectively with the private sector, is only one of a number of ways of achieving that aim.
	Privatisation, which means selling a publicly provided service to the private sector, is not being considered.

CS Gas

Mike Wood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many reported injuries have resulted from police use of CS gas spray in each of the last five years; and how many of those injured were police officers;
	(2)  how many complaints have been received in connection with the use of CS gas spray by police officers in England and Wales in each of the last five years; and what the outcome of each complaint was.

Hazel Blears: Information about the number and outcome of police complaints received relating to specific situations is not held centrally by the Home Office. It could therefore be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	Similarly, information about the number of injuries caused by police use of CS spray is not centrally held, and could again be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Dangerous Driving

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans there are to review the status of witnesses in cases of dangerous driving.

Caroline Flint: The Association of Chief Police Officer's Road Death Investigation Manual aims to achieve consistent professional investigation of incidents. In the early stages of investigation, one of the most important sources of evidence may be the identification of witnesses. The manual provides guidance to practitioners on how to gather evidence and secure the accounts of witnesses.
	The 'No Witness No Justice Project' aims to deliver a more customer-focused service to victims and witnesses to enable more witnesses to give evidence and increase victims and witness satisfaction.
	Different approaches to support services for incidents that lead to death or serious injury are being piloted. The pilots are subject to independent evaluation and will inform national standards of care for people affected by road death and serious injury.

Departmental Recycling

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the latest available 12 month figures are for the proportion of the Department's redundant documentation, waste paper and card that is recycled; and if he will make a statement on the Department's recycling policy.

Fiona Mactaggart: The information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. All areas of the Department participate in recycling but the way in which it is carried out and the types of materials recycled varies. For the central London estate the waste is sorted by specialist contractors after collection and waste paper and card, among other materials, are extracted for recycling. The overall recycling rate is around 25 per cent. Confidential waste paper is collected separately, shredded and then recycled.
	We are currently developing a strategy in response to the waste targets recently published under the Framework for Sustainable Development on the Government Estate. This strategy will cover how we will centrally collect waste data. A summary of the strategy will be published on the Home Office website by the end of October.

Journalists

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans the Government have to ensure journalists are able to protect their sources.

Estelle Morris: holding answer 13 September 2004
	I have been asked to reply.
	Section 10 of the Contempt of Court Act protects people, including journalists, from revealing their sources. In addition, the industry's voluntary Code of Practice, administered by the Press Complaints Commission, recognises that journalists have a moral obligation to protect confidential sources of information. The Government have no plans for further legislation in this area.

Name that Tag Campaign

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have called Crimestoppers in connection with the Name that Tag campaign; what the duration of the campaign was; how many tags were published over the course of the campaign; how many police investigations are under way as a result; and what the total cost of the campaign was.

Hazel Blears: In addition to approximately 130 calls to Crime Watch UK when name that tag was first publicised, 35 actionable calls have been made to Crimestoppers in connection with the Name that Tag campaign.
	The campaign, with posters displaying 12 tags, initially ran for three months beginning in November 2003 but it has been left open-ended as the posters have generated more information and they are in fact still on display. Since my hon. Friend Paul Goggins' answer to the hon. Member on 7 September 2004, Official Report, column 813W two people have been arrested as a result of the campaign. A further nine people are at various stages of investigation relating to the published tags, and a further seven prolific taggers are also under police investigation. The initiative cost to the Home Office was £3,000.

Police

David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people are employed (a) directly and (b) indirectly, by (i) the Police Complaints Commission for England and Wales and (ii) HM Inspectorate of Constabulary for England and Wales.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 11 October 2004
	It is assumed that the Police Complaints Commission for England and Wales referred to is the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) which was established under the Police Reform Act 2002 and commenced operations on 1 April 2004. This body replaced the Police Complaints Authority (PCA) which ceased operations on 31 March 2004.
	The information requested is as follows:
	
		
			  Indirectly employed (secondees and public appointees)  Directly employed (all other staff) 
		
		
			 IPCC 30 239 
			 HMIC 63 66

Police

Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police stations have (a) opened and (b) closed in Avon and Somerset in each year since 1979.

Hazel Blears: The management of the police estate and allocation of resources are matters for each Police Authority and the Chief Officer.
	The Chief Constable for Avon and Somerset Police informs me that reliable information, available only from 1992–93, is as follows:
	
		
			 Financial Year Opened Closed 
		
		
			 1992–93 0 1 
			 1993–94 0 13 
			 1994–95 0 6 
			 1995–96 0 14 
			 1996–97 0 13 
			 1997–98 2 1 
			 1998–99 3 0 
			 1999–2000 0 0 
			 2000–01 2 0 
			 2001–02 2 0 
			 2002–03 1 1 
			 2003–04 0 0 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. A police station is defined as an operational police facility with a public enquiry counter open during the day.
	2. In March 2004, there were 43 police stations in Avon and Somerset.
	In addition to the station openings above, Avon and Somerset have recently introduced six mobile police stations.
	The closure of police stations in the early 1990s was part of a force modernisation programme. Divisional boundaries were reviewed, assets were streamlined, and a number of local beat stations were closed. Sale proceeds increased the police capital programme, including further enhancement of district stations to improve service.
	Between 2000–01 and 2003–04 Avon and Somerset Police Authority invested over £11 million directly in Land and Buildings 1 .
	Avon and Somerset also provide public access through Beat Surgeries in public buildings such as libraries and community centres and in busy shopping centres.
	 1 Source
	The Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) Police Statistics.

Police

Ivan Henderson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the changes in police officer numbers in Essex has been since 1997.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 7 September 2004
	On 31 May 2004 Essex police had 3,130 police officers, a record number and 169 more than in March 1997. The table shows strength for each year since March 1997.
	
		Essex police: strength March 1997 to May 2004
		
			 As at 31 March) Police number(6) Change in strength Percentage 
		
		
			 1997 2,961 — — 
			 1998 2,928 -33 (-1.1) 
			 1999 2,891 -37 (-1.3) 
			 2000 2,806 -85 (-2.9) 
			 2001 (7)2,887 +81 (+2.9) 
			 2002 2,946 +59 (+2) 
			 2003 (8)2,989 +43 (+1.6) 
			 2004 3,098 +109 (+3.6) 
			 2004 (31 August) 3,106 +8 (+0.26) 
		
	
	(6) Source for 1997 to March 2004 is the Home Office Research, Development and Statistics Directorate (RDS). August 2004 was collected separately outside of the normal data collection arrangements and has not been subject to the same validation as RDS data.
	(7) Boundary changes with the Metropolitan police on 1 April 2000 contributed to the increase in police officer strength during 2000–01.
	(8) This corrects information provided in the Official Report, column 876, where "all officers" for 31 March 2003 had been provided in error, rather than "all officers (excl. career brakes and maternity leave)".

Prisons

Ross Cranston: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many equal pay cases have been taken against the Prison Service in England and Wales in each year since 1997.

Paul Goggins: The number of claims for each year are:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1997 0 
			 1998 0 
			 1999 998 
			 2000 310 
			 2001 5 
			 2002 359 
			 2003 12 
			 2004 87

Prisons

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what rationale underlay the decision to permit prisoners serving life sentences to buy national lottery tickets; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: No one, including those serving a life sentence is permitted to buy national lottery tickets while they are in prison. The ticket purchased recently by a life sentence prisoner who won the Lotto (the National Lottery) was purchased while that individual was released from prison on temporary licence.
	Temporary licences are granted as part of the resettlement process for those prisoners who are reaching the end of their sentence and are preparing for release. Under the terms of a temporary licence, a prisoner is bound by certain conditions aimed at preventing further offending and any antisocial behaviour. If these conditions are broken, they are recalled to prison immediately. The purchase of lottery tickets is not prohibited by the licence conditions.

Prisons

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the pay scales are for (a) administrative officers in the Prison Service and (b) prison officers; and what job evaluation exercises have been carried out by the Prison Service in respect of administrative posts in the past five years.

Paul Goggins: The pay scale for Administrative Officers in the Prison Service is £12,502-£15,415. That for Prison Officers is £16,896-£24,868, with Long Service Increments rising to £25,788.
	The Prison Service introduced Phase 1 of its review of pay and grading in July 2000. This affected 2,500 middle and senior managers, including those in administrative and operational disciplines, and replaced more than 150 existing grades with a seven-payband common.
	Development of Phase 2 of the review, which would have included administrative posts, was halted in April 2002, with the project work subsumed within pay modernisation.
	To date, the Prison Service has carried out 507 individual job evaluations. The system evaluates the job and not the individual job-holder, so it is not possible to identify how many of these jobs were held by administrative grades without incurring disproportionate cost.

Prisons

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 22 July 2004, Official Report, columns 610–11W, on prisons, if he will make it mandatory that prison staff who wish to become prison healthcare officers obtain the relevant qualifications before taking up the posts; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: There are no present plans to do so. However, the Prison Service continues to discuss with stakeholders the future options for healthcare officers, including training.

Special Constables

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what changes have been made to the (a) management, (b) welfare and (c) deployment of special constables in the Thames Valley area since January 2002.

Hazel Blears: Chief Officers have responsibility for the management, welfare and deployment of their Special Constabularies.

Stop and Search (West Yorkshire)

Mike Wood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were stopped and searched by West Yorkshire Police during 2002–03, broken down by (a) age, (b) ethnicity and (c) sex.

Hazel Blears: During 2002–03 the total number of persons stopped and searched by West Yorkshire Police under Section 5 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 was 46,707. Of these, 37,255 had their visual appearance recorded as white, 2,901 as black, 5,830 as Asian, and 721 as of 'other' ethnicity.
	In the same period, a further 1,155 persons were stopped and searched under Section 60 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994. Of these, 607 were white, 82 black, 435 Asian, and 31 of 'other' ethnicity.
	Stops and searches under the provisions of Section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000 during 2002–03 totalled 18, 13 of white individuals, two of Asians, and three of persons of 'Other' ethnicity.
	No information is recorded centrally on the age and sex of those stopped and searched.

Young Offenders

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer 187060 of 7 September 2004, Official Report, column 965W, how many (a) female and (b) male young offenders aged 18 to 21 years were held (i) over 50 miles and (ii) over 100 miles from their committal court town.

Paul Goggins: As at 7 July 2004, from the information available, the distance that young offenders aged 18 to 21 years, male and female, were held from their committal court towns is set out in the table.
	
		
			 Distance Total young offender population Male young offender population Female young offender population 
		
		
			 Under 50 miles
			 Total number of prisoners 5,184 4,976 208 
			 Percentage 65 66 51 
			 
			 50–100 miles
			 Total number of prisoners 1,828 1,732 96 
			 Percentage 23 23 23 
			 
			 100 plus miles
			 Total number of prisoners 944 837 107 
			 Percentage 12 11 26 
			 Total 7,956 7,545 411 
		
	
	Note:
	An individual prisoner's court details are recorded to show first court appearance, committal, remand, conviction or sentencing courts. Information specifically on committal court details is not available for all prisoners and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Where a prisoner's committal court data is unavailable, the prisoner's remand court or convicting and sentencing court is used.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Summer Works Programme

John Butterfill: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission what assessment he has made of the health and safety implications for (a) Members, (b) Members' staff, (c) staff of the House and (d) the general public of allowing access to areas in which work was continuing as part of the summer works programme, with particular reference to risks arising from storage of timber and flammable liquids in the Committee Corridor.

Archy Kirkwood: The Head of the Parliamentary Occupational Health, Safety and Welfare Services has carried out an investigation into the health and safety arrangements relevant to works projects during the summer recess 2004. In summary, his findings were that:
	The health and safety arrangements in connection with construction projects were generally to acceptable standards.
	Health and safety in construction projects undertaken on the Parliamentary Estate has significantly improved over recent years.
	The stairs leading to the Members' Tea Room, though unsightly, were found to be in a safe condition for use.
	There have been no reported accidents related to non construction staff during the summer recess period; and no significant incidents at all, which overall is a good record.
	There are a number of learning points where improvements can be made for future construction projects, in particular better cordoning off and signage for construction related areas.
	At the time of the investigation, there were no flammable liquids or timber stored in the Committee Corridor. However, observation by others during the peak period of the works projects confirms that flammable liquids were securely stored in line with good practice and timber was stored temporarily in cordoned off areas for short periods prior to use.
	The full report is lodged in the House of Commons Library and copies have been sent to Mr Speaker and to the Chairman of the Accommodation and Works Committee.

Summer Works Programme

John Butterfill: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission pursuant to his answer of 9 September 2004, Official Report, column 1330W, on September sittings, if he will estimate the cost of the summer works programme had the September sitting of the House not taken place; and what the actual cost will be.

Archy Kirkwood: The estimated cost of the summer works programme for 2004 is some £5.7 million against a figure of around £5.6 million if the House had not sat in September.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Caucasus (Oil Pipelines)

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on the status of the Baku-Tblisi-Ceyhan pipeline; and what diplomatic discussions he has had with those countries involved on the likely outcome of this project.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: The pipeline is a matter for routine discussion between UK Government Ministers and officials with interlocutors in Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey. The pipeline, which is currently under construction, will be the first to transport oil from the Caspian direct to the Mediterranean, thus reducing the amount of fuel, which would otherwise be passing through the congested and environmentally hazardous Bosphorus. The pipeline and its route is a commercial matter between BTC Pipeline Company and the host countries.
	More broadly, the UK Government have been actively involved in discussions between companies, civil society and the Government of Azerbaijan on Azerbaijan's involvement in the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, a UK-led international initiative to ensure transparency over revenues from the oil, gas and mining sectors.

Caucasus (Oil Pipelines)

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what funding the Government has made available to the Baku-Tblisi-Ceyhan pipeline.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: The British Government are not providing direct funding for the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) project.
	The UK Government are a shareholder of International Finance Corporation (IFC) and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). Both organisations are providing commercial loans of US$250 million.
	The Export Credits Guarantee Department (ECGD) has provided cover for a US$106 million line of credit to finance UK contractors involved in the BTC project. This does not involve direct lending from ECGD, but an ECGD guarantee of commercial bank lending to the project.

Caucasus (Oil Pipelines)

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which countries have expressed opposition to the Baku-T'blisi-Ceyhan pipe line; what discussions he has had with the (a) World Bank and (b) European Bank for Reconstruction and Development on the British position regarding the pipe line; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: The Governments of the countries concerned (Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey) have all signed agreements governing the building and operation of the pipeline. DFID has not received any representations from any governments expressing opposition to the pipeline.
	DFID Ministers approved the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) UK Executive Directors support for the project at the Executive Board meetings in November 2003. There is ongoing dialogue with the IFC and EBRD to ensure lessons learnt from this project inform future policies and projects funded by the Banks.

Hurricane Ivan

George Foulkes: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance is being provided by the UK Government for the consequences of Hurricane Ivan in the Cayman Islands.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: Following the impact of the hurricane, HMS Richmond and the Royal Fleet Auxiliary Wave Ruler began helping the relief effort at the earliest opportunity. DFID also responded to an urgent request from the Government of the Cayman Islands by providing urgent relief items, including plastic sheeting. DFID has since sent flights containing potable water, hygiene materials and other requested items. The cost of this direct assistance is about £200,000. DFID has also contributed £500,000 to the International Federation of the Red Cross regional appeal, for the provision of emergency food, shelter needs, water and sanitation and various non-food items. The Regional Appeal includes support to 1,000 affected families in Cayman Islands for six months.
	The British Government are providing £100,000 towards the costs associated with the deployment of a contingent from the Bermuda Regiment who are currently helping with the continuing clean up on the Islands. We have also provided advisory support including a Law Enforcement Adviser, a Disaster Preparedness Adviser and reinforced the Governor's office.

Hurricane Ivan

George Foulkes: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much additional resources have been made available to (a) Grenada, (b) the Cayman Islands and (c) the Caribbean region as a result of Hurricane Ivan.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: To date, DFID has committed around £3.4 million of assistance to the Caribbean region including our share of European Community commitments, following the impact of Hurricane Ivan on affected countries. Of this approximately £840,000 and £300,000 have been provided in direct support to relief needs in Grenada and Cayman Islands respectively. In addition to this assistance, HMS Richmond and RFA Wave Ruler were deployed to both islands to offer and provide immediate humanitarian support. We are considering further support to affected countries through United Nation agencies, the International Federation of the Red Cross and non-governmental organisations.
	The European Community has announced it is mobilising £4.65 million in emergency relief and post emergency rehabilitation to help Grenada focusing on the provision of emergency shelter, food, water and other key supplies for 5,000 homeless families. It includes funds to be mobilized under the ninth European Development Fund, that are expected to be utilised primarily for school rehabilitation. The United Kingdom's share of this European Community assistance is about £700,000. The European Commission has also pledged £830,000 to Jamaica through its Humanitarian Aid Office, focusing on reducing the number of persons in temporary shelters and providing alternative accommodation for those currently housed in schools. The United Kingdom's share of this support is about £150,000. The European Community has announced a contribution of £1 million towards emergency relief in Haiti. The United Kingdom share of this humanitarian assistance is approximately £180,000.
	The World Bank is providing £5.55 million to Grenada from its contingency facility for regional disaster management. The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) has provided a £55,475 grant and £277,360 soft loan to Grenada for short-term disaster recovery. The Inter-American Development Bank has provided a £111,000 grant through the Caribbean Development Bank. The Inter-American Development Bank is providing a £111,000 technical assistance grant for Jamaica.
	The Caribbean Development Bank has offered up to £277,360 in concessional lending to each of the affected member countries in the region, along with a £55,475 assessment grant via the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency for each country.

Latin America

Julie Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on the Department's aims, objectives and activities in Latin America.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: DFID recently finalised its Regional Assistance Plan for Latin America 2004–2007, which lays out our strategy for DFID's bilateral programme in the region. Its goal is to reduce poverty and inequality in the region, by enhancing the impact of international community support for poverty reduction, focusing on the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the World Bank.
	DFID will work to improve the effectiveness of the contributions the IDB and World Bank make in creating economic opportunities for poor people and in making public services and political systems accountable and responsible to poor people. We will do so through a combination of direct support for the IDB and World Bank and working with other organisations in the region.
	In addition, DFID will help to improve the coherence of donor support for governments' poverty reduction strategies and will also contribute to lesson sharing on key global policy issues,-particularly trade policies that better reflect the impact of trade on poverty and inequality, and improved quality and effectiveness of HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and care.
	DFID will retain a bilateral programme in Nicaragua to reflect its low-income status and vulnerability. British non-governmental organisations (NGOs) will be important partners in achieving our goal. An additional £7 million a year will be provided to NGOs with Partnership Programme Agreements with DFID for their work in Latin America and the Caribbean.
	The Regional Assistance Plan will be formally launched later this month.

US Agencies (Sole-sourced Contracts)

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether the reports on audits of sole-sourced contracts that have already been undertaken by various US agencies requested by the International Advisory and Monitoring Board have been handed over; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: The International Advisory and Monitoring Board (IAMB) has requested copies of reports issued by the US Defence Contract Audit Agency on its audits of contracts for work in Iraq that included funding from the Development Fund for Iraq as well as US appropriated funds. I understand that, because the reports contain proprietary contractor commercial or financial information, including pricing data, the US Government are barred by US law from releasing this information without the permission of the company involved. I also understand that the US Government are working to resolve this issue.

SCOTLAND

Civil Service (Job Losses)

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which services within his Department will be (a) affected by and (b) subject to job losses consequent on the cuts in the civil service announced in the Spending Review.

Anne McGuire: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, on 16 September 2004, Official Report, column 1659W.

Departmental Recycling

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what the latest available 12 month figures are for the proportion of the Department's redundant documentation, waste paper and card that is recycled; and if he will make a statement on the Department's recycling policy.

Anne McGuire: The Scotland Office is committed to the recycling policy and targets set out in the Framework for Sustainable Development on the Government Estate. The precise information requested is not available; but a large majority of the waste paper and card produced by the Scotland Office is already consigned to re-cycling.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Export Credits Guarantee Department

James Arbuthnot: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment her Department has made of the impact of the change of the Export Credits Guarantee Department to a statutory trading fund.

Douglas Alexander: The establishment of the Trading Fund, preceded by the pilot next year, should enable ECGD to take a more expansive approach to cover and an improved service to customers. There will be a parallel commitment to reduce premiums by up to £5 million per annum on cases where ECGD is currently charging above the internationally agreed minimum benchmark.

Export Credits Guarantee Department

James Arbuthnot: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate her Department has made of the likely volume of new business from the establishment of the Export Credits Guarantee Department (a) Pilot Trading Fund in April 2005 and (b) Statutory Trading Fund in April 2007.

Douglas Alexander: ECGD's new business in the last two financial years amounted to £3.5 billion (2002–03) and £2.99 billion (2003–04). When making her statement of 1 July 2004, Official Report, column 22WS, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry confirmed her commitment to the introduction of a Trading Fund with a capital framework designed to accommodate both business growth and risk volatility. The Chief Executive is analysing possible future business volumes.

Information and Communication Specialists

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many information and communication technology specialists are in full-time employment in the Department.

Mike O'Brien: The Department of Trade and Industry currently employs 69 (full-time equivalent) ICT specialists.

TRANSPORT

Humber Bridge Toll

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the cost of converting the toll system on the Humber Bridge so that tolls can be mainly collected automatically without the need for employing attendants.

David Jamieson: The Secretary of State has made no such estimate. The Humber Bridge is not part of the trunk road network and is, therefore, not the direct responsibility of the Secretary of State. The financing and operation of the Bridge is primarily a matter for the board of local authorities who manage the bridge, the Humber Bridge Board.

Humber Bridge Toll

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the cost was of employing persons to collect toll money on the Humber Bridge in each of the past four years for which figures are available.

David Jamieson: The Department for Transport does not hold such information centrally. The Humber Bridge is not part of the trunk road network and is, therefore, not the direct responsibility of the Secretary of State. The financing and operation of the bridge is primarily a matter for the Humber Bridge Board.

Road Traffic Accidents

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many deaths in road traffic accidents there were in (a) 1975, (b) 1980, (c) 1990, (d) 2000 and (e) 2003.

David Jamieson: The numbers of deaths in road traffic accidents are shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Number killed 
		
		
			 1975 6,366 
			 1980 6,010 
			 1990 5,217 
			 2000 3,409 
			 2003 3,508

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

European Union Presidency

Wayne David: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Lisbon Agenda will be one of the priorities of the British presidency of the EU.

Denis MacShane: Yes it will be. Our overriding presidency priority will be to take forward the EU policy agenda in an efficient, effective and impartial way, with a strong emphasis on the agenda we inherit from preceding presidencies.
	Delivering sustainable, long-term improvements to Europe's growth and employment is of course a major task for the EU and a priority for our presidency and the new Commission.

North Korea

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the impact on relations between the UK and North Korea of establishing diplomatic missions in the capitals of each country.

Bill Rammell: The establishment of embassies in London and Pyongyang has provided an effective and regular channel of communication between our respective governments. This, together with my own visit to Pyongyang last month, has enabled us to make clear our views on issues of international concern, such as North Korea's nuclear programmes and human rights record. We will continue to encourage the North Koreans to engage fully on these issues.

North Korea

Paddy Tipping: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with North Korea on nuclear policy.

Bill Rammell: I visited North Korea from 11 to 14 September. North Korea's nuclear policy was one of the issues which I raised during my visit.
	I made a written statement to the House on my discussions in North Korea on 16 September 2004, Official Report, columns 186–88WS.

North Korea

Ross Cranston: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his assessment is of North Korea's nuclear weapons programme.

Bill Rammell: The Government assesses that North Korea has sufficient fissile material for a small number of nuclear weapons, and the technical capability to produce them. North Korea has also confirmed that it has completed the reprocessing of some 8,000 spent fuel rods, something about which we, and the international community, are very concerned.

Afghanistan

Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what arrangements he has made to (a) monitor and (b) assess the presidential elections in Afghanistan.

Bill Rammell: The UK provided four UK nationals to the OSCE Election Support Team, plus funding of £140,000. We contributed £50,000 to the "Free and Fair Elections Foundation of Afghanistan", which fielded some (1,700) local Afghan monitors; and £25,000 to the "Asia Network for Free Elections" to monitor voting by Afghan refugees in Iran. British embassy staff observed in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran.
	We shall assess the results with our international partners.

Afghanistan

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on women's rights and dowry payments in Afghanistan.

Bill Rammell: Women's rights have improved dramatically since the fall of the Taliban, with access to education, healthcare and employment opportunities that would have been unthinkable under the Taliban regime. Just under 2 million girls have returned to school and one-third of Afghanistan's 70,000 teachers are now women. Women's rights are protected by the new constitution, which also reserves a proportion of seats in Parliament for women candidates. Women have registered in large numbers to vote for the upcoming elections: over 40 per cent. of the 10.5 million Afghans registered.
	Despite these improvements many challenges still remain. Women suffer disproportionately from violence in Afghan society. Women's ability to exercise their rights also remains heavily constrained in some areas, particularly rural areas in the south and south-east. The UK is committed to working with the Afghan Government and their international partners to improve women's ability to exercise their rights. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Department for International Development have agreed a comprehensive Gender Strategy for 2004–05, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.
	Dowry payments are a traditional part of Afghan marriage ceremonies, as in many other countries.

St. Helena

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to visit St. Helena to discuss its economy.

Bill Rammell: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has no current plans to visit St. Helena.
	However, Ministers take every opportunity to meet with councillors from St. Helena when they visit the UK, during which we discuss a whole range of issues. My most recent meeting with councillors was last month in the margins of the Overseas Territories Consultative Council.

Darfur

Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his assessment is of the situation in Darfur.

Chris Mullin: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy.
	We remain very concerned about the situation in Darfur. Despite some progress on the humanitarian side, ceasefire violations by rebel and government forces continue. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister discussed these issues last week with the Sudanese President, who agreed to a five-point action plan. The Sudanese will be judged not by their words, but by their actions over the coming weeks.

Darfur

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to his Answer of 14 September 2004, Official Report, columns 1551–52W, what evidence the Government would need in order to determine that the atrocities carried out in Darfur constituted genocide; and if he will set out the direct consequences of defining a situation as genocide.

Chris Mullin: As called for in Security Council Resolution 1564, the Secretary-General has established an International Commission of Inquiry to determine whether or not acts of genocide have occurred and to identify the perpetrators. He has asked the Commission to report within three months. Article II of the 1948 Genocide Convention defines genocide as the "intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group". Under this convention, the State Parties undertake to prevent and to punish the crime of genocide.

Middle East

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the number of Palestinians who have been separated from (a) their farmland and (b) their place of work by the Israel Wall impinging into Palestinian territory.

Bill Rammell: We estimate that approximately 240,000 Palestinians (including 220,000 in east Jerusalem) live on the Israeli side of the barrier constructed so far, and so are potentially cut off from their places of work, schools and families. About 94,000 more may have been separated from their farmland. 1
	As a result of the 30 June Israeli High Court ruling, the Israeli Government is revising the route of the barrier.
	1 These figures are based on recent Palestinian Negotiations Affairs Department and OCHA (United Nations Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs) reports.

Kashmir

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Government of (a) India and (b) Pakistan on Kashmir.

Douglas Alexander: My right hon. Friends the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary discussed India-Pakistan relations with their Indian counterparts during Prime Minister Singh's visit to London on 20 September. The Foreign Secretary met his Pakistan counterpart on 23 September during the UN General Assembly. We conveyed to both Governments our warm support for the current dialogue process, and urged them to continue to press forward to resolve all their outstanding differences, including over Kashmir.

Brazil

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions his Department has engaged in with the Government of Brazil regarding computer hacking.

Bill Rammell: We are in close contact with the Brazilian Government on a number of organised crime issues including hacking and other hi-tech crime. In mid-September, the head of the UK's National Hi-Tech Crime Unit (NHTCU), and representatives from the British embassy attended the first International Conference on Cyber Crime Investigations in Brasilia. We hope that the Brazilian Federal Police will also attend the NHTCU's E-crime Congress to be held in the UK in April 2005.

Butler Report

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to his answer of 13 September 2004, Official Report, column 1450W, if he will specify the year of the dates given; which Government Ministers were informed; what communications there were between the Foreign Office and the Prime Minister's Office; and when these communications took place.

Jack Straw: The year referred to was 2004. The Ministers referred to were my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and me. The communications between our respective offices took place in June 2004. Information relating to internal discussion and advice is exempt from disclosure under exemption 2 of Part 2 the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Chagos Islands

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to consult Chagos Islanders on compensation for loss of livelihood.

Bill Rammell: As the hon. Member for Islington, North knows, the High Court judgment of 9 October 2003 established that the Government have no legal obligation to pay any further compensation beyond what has already been provided. This was confirmed by the Court of Appeal on 22 July 2004. Consequently, while I have made it clear that I am prepared to meet Chagossian representatives, I have no plans to consult them on compensation.

Global Warming

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations the Government are making to the United States Administration to encourage its engagement with international efforts to combat global warming.

Bill Rammell: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Brighton, Kemptown (Dr. Turner).

Hurricane Ivan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the impact of Hurricane Ivan on (a) Grenada, (b) Jamaica and (c) Cuba giving (i) the estimated number of (A) fatalities and (B) serious injuries and (ii) the levels of homelessness in each case; and what help was forthcoming in each case.

Bill Rammell: Sadly, Hurricane Ivan has had a devastating effect on Grenada. The latest figures we have for deaths and injuries are 39 dead and 353 treated for injuries. Royal Navy medical staff were on the ground at the general hospital on the morning after the hurricane. It is estimated that some 90 per cent. of the housing stock was damaged.
	For UK assistance to Grenada I refer my hon. Friend to the statement my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Development (Hilary Benn) made to the House on 14 September 2004, Official Report, columns 1125–27, which was updated on 16 September 2004, Official Report, columns 169–72WS. A further written statement, updating the House on UK assistance following Hurricanes Ivan and Jeanne was issued today.
	My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has appointed my noble Friend the Baroness Howells of St. David's as his personal envoy to Grenada. She travelled to Barbados and Grenada from 21 to 24 September with representatives of the Department for International Development (DFID) and the British High Commissioner to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean to see the situation at first hand.
	In Jamaica the impact was, fortunately, not as severe as first feared, although tragically 17 people have reportedly lost their lives. We do not have any details of serious injuries but the number of people directly and significantly affected by the hurricane is thought to be around 25,000 people. It is believed some 5,000 were made homeless. The Jamaica Red Cross estimates that approximately 25,000 people have suffered enough damage to their homes to require external assistance to start their own recovery. DFID have allocated £600,000 to the Jamaican humanitarian response.
	The impact from Hurricane Ivan on Cuba was far less than originally feared as the eye of the storm missed the mainland. There were no reported fatalities, but according to the UN 8,000 people were left homeless. Reports are still being gathered from the affected areas, and once these are completed we will consider what support is needed.

Hurricane Ivan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports of looting and lawlessness were reported in (a) Grenada, (b) Jamaica and (c) Cuba in the aftermath of Hurricane Ivan.

Bill Rammell: In the days following Hurricane Ivan there were reports of looting in and around the capital of Grenada. St. George's. Troops from other Caribbean countries were sent to Grenada to help re-establish control and enforce a curfew. They arrived the second day after the hurricane. The Government of Grenada says the situation is now generally calm.
	As the storm approached Jamaica, the Prime Minister, P J Patterson declared a state of public emergency. This can last up to a maximum of 30 days unless Parliament extends it. The stated reason was prior knowledge of planned looting. Several people were apparently arrested. There were reports of looting in various inner city areas and two police officers were shot and wounded. The Jamaican Security forces were on duty throughout and kept the situation generally under control.
	Fortunately the eye of the storm missed the Cuban mainland and there was far less damage than expected. There were no reports of looting or lawlessness.

Hurricane Ivan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the ability of the High Commission in Grenada to respond to the level of need in the aftermath of Hurricane Ivan for (a) British citizens, (b) Grenadian nationals and (c) others.

Bill Rammell: At the time of the hurricane there was one UK-based member of staff in Grenada and two locally-engaged staff. Royal Navy personnel were on hand to assist as soon as the hurricane passed and we reinforced the office as soon as was possible with four staff from Bridgetown. The office opened as soon as it was possible for staff to reach it. Two staff were also sent from London to assist.
	In the immediate aftermath of the hurricane there was no telephone service and many roads were blocked. High Commission staff moved from hotel to hotel to make contact with tour operators and British and EU tourists and helped make arrangements for them to leave the island. Staff took messages for relatives of a number of British, Grenadian and other foreign nationals in the UK and elsewhere.
	Over the weekend following the hurricane we helped over 400 British, EU and Commonwealth nationals leave Grenada on a variety of unscheduled flights including one we chartered.
	Our consular responsibility was to British nationals, including dual nationals and EU nationals in the first instance. Inquiring Grenadian nationals were given advice on travel and immigration regulations in the UK.

Western Sahara

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received of remarks by the UN Secretary-General's former personal envoy to the Western Sahara on the policy of Morocco regarding a settlement in Western Sahara; and if he will make a statement on the Government's policy on progress towards a settlement.

Bill Rammell: James Baker the former personal envoy to Western Sahara of the UN Secretary-General, gave an extensive interview regarding the Western Sahara on American television on 19 August. A transcript can be found on the internet at http://www.pbs.org/wnet/wideangle/shows/sahara/transcript.html. The Polisario have quoted from this interview in a memorandum circulated to United Nations member States.
	The United Kingdom continues to seek a just, lasting and mutually acceptable solution to the Western Sahara dispute which provides the people of the Western Sahara with an opportunity to exercise their right to self-determination. We believe UN efforts to find a solution to the dispute should be maintained and we will continue to support those.

Iraq

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on border traffic between Turkey and Iraq.

Jack Straw: holding answer of 11 October 2004
	There have been severe delays to traffic crossing the Habur gate between Turkey and Iraq. I discussed this with both Turkish and Iraqi governments when I visited last week and encouraged them to find a solution. Discussions are continuing, including consideration of a possible second border crossing point. Tailbacks on the Turkish side of the Habur crossing are 40–50km long. It can take two weeks for a truck to get through.

Iraq

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 14 September 2004, Official Report, column 1548W, how the money is to be spent.

Bill Rammell: holding answer of 11 October 2004
	The Department for International Development's (DFID) Political Participation Fund for Iraq; administered by the British Council is a £5 million programme over two years, designed to increase opportunities for political representation and participation by all Iraqi citizens, particularly women. Since early September. £145,000 has been allocated to provide support to Iraqi national women's organisations. This will help them to prepare for the elections by delivering civic education and information to women voters, working with potential candidates and monitoring women's participation in the political process. DFID and the British Council, responsible for managing the Fund, are looking at further opportunities to support women's participation in the political process, both before and after the forthcoming elections.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Ards and Down Area Plan

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the public inquiry into the Draft Ards and Down Area Plan will begin.

Angela Smith: The Planning Appeals Commission sets the date for the commencement of the Public Inquiry. A start date has not been set at present.

Ards and Down Area Plan

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what efforts the Department of Environment has made to resolve the objections received in response to the publication of the Draft Ards and Down Area Plan; and how many of those objections were resolved by the Department.

Angela Smith: The Department of the Environment received 2369 objections to the draft Ards and Down Area Plan. A number of the objections received relate to multiple issues. Full consideration has been given to all objections and work is now nearing completion on the preparation of the Department's rebuttal statements.
	While the Department may see merit in all or part of an issue raised in a number of the objections, it is not possible to resolve objections at this stage. All objections have been put on public display and can be subject to a counter objection up to the date of the public inquiry. The rebuttal statements, which set out the Department's view on each individual objection, will be presented at the public inquiry which provides the mechanism for the issues to be fully considered.
	It is therefore not possible to confirm at this stage the number of objections that may be resolved.

Asbestosis

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will extend the scope of asbestos industrial injury benefit to include family members of asbestosis sufferers.

John Spellar: The statutory provisions of the Industrial Injuries Scheme provide benefit to employed earners due to an illness or injury due to their occupation. There are no plans to extend the scope of the Industrial Injuries Scheme to family members of asbestosis sufferers.

Business Education Partnership

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what costs were incurred by each of the three departments involved in establishing the Northern Ireland Business Education Partnership.

Barry Gardiner: NIBEP was established by the Training and Employment Agency (now the Department for Employment and Learning) and the Department of Education jointly in 1995, in the form of an unincorporated association within Business in the Community. In June 2000 it was incorporated as a company limited by guarantee and moved to its own premises. Any costs incurred in respect of this move were offset by moneys transferred from Business in the Community to NIBEP at the point where responsibility transferred from one to the other. The staffing of NIBEP when it was established in 1995 consisted of one secondment from the business sector (ie at no cost to the public purse). The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Industry has incurred no costs in respect of NIBEP at any time.

Business Education Partnership

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the cost of running the Northern Ireland Business Education Partnership was in each of the last three years; and what the estimated cost of closing it is.

Barry Gardiner: The information requested is as follows:
	
		
			  Running costs (£) 
		
		
			 2001–02 284,223 
			 2002–03 244,999 
			 2003–04 202,516 
			 2004–05(9) 147,899 
		
	
	(9) 1 April 2004 to 31 August 2004 only.
	Note:
	These do not include direct programme expenditure.
	Estimated cost of closing NIBEP
	£18,000+expenses (but will be subject to issues arising during the course of the liquidation).

Business Education Partnership

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which (a) Department and (b) organisation will be responsible for carrying out the work of the Northern Ireland Business Education Partnership.

Barry Gardiner: Future arrangements for business-education activities in support of education for employability in the curriculum are under consideration jointly by the Departments of Education, Employment and Learning and Enterprise, Trade and Investment.
	As an interim measure the major bodies providing business-education activities and programmes that are currently funded through NIBEP will continue to be funded for the remainder of the 2004–05 financial year until substantive arrangements are put in place for the future. This is to be administered by the three Departments with Department of Education in the lead.

Cancer Patients

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what resources are provided to support cancer patients making the choice to die at home.

Angela Smith: Patients with a cancer diagnosis making the choice to die at home are facilitated through primary, community and acute services. Specific services developed within the boards in the last number of years include provision of palliative care drug boxes for out of hours use by GPs and other primary health care professionals, developing the district nursing twilight services, provision of night nursing services in partnership with Marie Curie Cancer Care and complementary and counselling therapies.
	A Regional Cancer Services Framework is currently being developed to make recommendations for the future delivery of cancer services in Northern Ireland over the next 20 years. As part of its work, the framework will be considering the future development of palliative care services in the home. The framework is expected to be completed by 31 December 2004.

Castlereagh (Industrial Development)

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment has had with Castlereagh College on training requirements for future industrial development in the Castlereagh area.

Barry Gardiner: Neither the Department of Enterprise Trade and Investment, nor Invest NI, have had any direct discussions with Castlereagh College. Invest NTs Accelerating Entrepreneurship Strategy (AES) seeks to actively embed entrepreneurship throughout Northern Ireland's education and training systems. Aspects of AES are undertaken in close liaison with the Association of Northern Ireland Colleges, which represents the sixteen Further Education colleges in NI, including Castlereagh.
	Through its Business Improvement Services function, Invest NI also provides specific company based training and development programmes linked directly to the needs of local companies. These programmes can be delivered using internal or external trainers as appropriate, with each client company being responsible for the selection of any external providers. Such training is entirely tailored to the needs of the company thus offering a specific focus on the local economic development needs of the area in which it is based.

Churches (Signing)

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the Department of Regional Development's review of its policy on signing of churches will be carried out; and if he will make a statement.

John Spellar: The Chief Executive of Roads Service (Dr. Malcolm McKibbin) has been asked to write to the hon. Lady in response to this Question.
	Letter from Dr. Malcolm McKibbin to Mrs. Iris Robinson, dated 22 September 2004
	You recently asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland a Parliamentary Question about the review of direction signing to churches. I have been asked to reply as the issue raised falls within my responsibility as Chief Executive of Roads Service.
	I can confirm that the work on the policy review of the signing of churches and other privately operated premises is on-going and it is expected to be complete by the end of November 2004.

Civil Servants (Private Sector Work)

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many divisional planning managers within the Department of the Environment have been granted permission to become private sector planning consultants in the last five years.

Angela Smith: No current Divisional Planning Manager has been given permission to become a private sector planning consultant.

Civil Service Industrial Action

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many staff days have been lost as a result of industrial action in each Department, agency and non-departmental public body in Northern Ireland since the start of the current industrial action by civil servants.

Ian Pearson: Since the start of the current industrial action by civil servants up to 3 September 2004, 54,737 staff days have been lost in Departments, agencies and non-departmental public bodies in Northern Ireland. A breakdown of the figures for each Department, agency and non-departmental public body is as follows.
	
		
			 Department Core/agency/NDPB Staff hours lost Staff days lost 
		
		
			 Agriculture and Rural Development Department Core 61,188.9 8,268 
			  Rivers Agency 1,369 185 
			  Forest Service 733 99 
			  Agricultural Research Institute for NI 33 4 
			 
			 Culture, Arts and Leisure Department Core 962.7 130 
			  Ordnance Survey NI 1890.87 256 
			  Public Record Office NI 717.8 97 
			 
			 Education Department Core 24,048.38 3,250 
			 
			 Employment and Learning Department Core 43,139 5,830 
			  Labour Relations Agency 1,876 254 
			 
			 Enterprise, Trade and Investment Department Core 2,970 401 
			  Health and Safety Executive NI 104 14 
			  Invest NI 682 92 
			  General Consumer Council 111 15 
			  NI Tourist Board 565.5 76 
			 
			 Finance and Personnel Department Core 8,296.6 1,121 
			  Valuation and Lands Agency 1,978.4 267 
			  Business Development Service 1,505.2 203 
			  Rate Collection Agency 7,676.2 1,037 
			  Land Registers of NI 1,650.4 223 
			 
			 Health, Social Services and Public Safety Department Core 7,610.08 1,028 
			  Health Estates Agency 1,073.37 145 
			 
			 Environment Department Core 1,647.1 223 
			  Driver and Vehicle Licensing NI 8,872 1,199 
			  Driver and Vehicle Testing Agency 48,067.65 6,496 
			  Environment and Heritage Service 2,095 283 
			  Planning Service 23,492 3,175 
			 
			 Regional Development Department Core 16,505 2,230 
			 
			 Social Development Department Core 2,117 286 
			  Social Security Agency 111,257 15,035 
			  Child Support Agency 18,993 2,567 
			 
			 Northern Ireland Office Department Core 158.96 21 
			  Compensation Agency 55.41 7 
			  Forensic Science Agency 42.11 6 
			  Youth Justice Agency 1 0.1 
			  NI Prison Service 764 103 
			 
			 Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister Department Core 823.25 111 
			 
			 Total — 405,071.88 54,737

Civil Service Industrial Action

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the action that he has taken since the beginning of the parliamentary summer recess to bring an end to industrial action by civil servants in Northern Ireland.

Ian Pearson: Intensive negotiations took place in July between officials from the Department of Finance and Personnel and trade union representatives. At these meetings officials emphasised that the 3.67 per cent. pay deal for 2003 had now been paid and was final, but that they were willing to explore all reasonable means of resolving the dispute. The trade union also met with the Secretary of State and myself on 23 July to discuss the situation. On 3 August management tabled two offers for 2004 to the trade union a 12-month offer worth 3.49 per cent. and a 16-month offer worth 4.65 per cent. Both offers were quickly rejected and further negotiations took place on 4, 11 and 13 August. As a result of these further negotiations, management restructured the 4.65 per cent. 16-month offer and this was formally put to trade union side on 16 August. The revised offer included an increase in rates of pay of 2 per cent. plus a non-consolidated payment of £150 for all staff.
	On 13 September the trade union accepted the 16-month pay offer worth 4.65 per cent. and agreed to suspend the current industrial action. It is hoped that public services can return to normal as a matter of urgency.
	Staff in the Northern Ireland Office are subject to separate pay negotiations involving NIPSA in respect of Northern Ireland civil servants and PCS and PDA in respect of home civil servants. All three unions remain in dispute in relation to the 2003 pay award, although only NIPSA has taken industrial action. Formal negotiations in relation to 2004 pay are ongoing.

Civil Service Industrial Action

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the impact of industrial action by civil servants in Northern Ireland on (a) members of the public and (b) businesses.

Ian Pearson: The industrial action by civil servants, which commenced on 11 December 2003, ended on 13 September. Selective strike action taken by some members of the Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance, did impact on services to members of the public and business. While contingency plans were in place to minimise disruption, strike action by staff in the Driver and Vehicle Testing Agency resulted in a significant backlog of both vehicle and driver tests. There were also delays in payment of agricultural grants and subsidies, delays in processing planning applications and postponement of Industrial and Fair Employment Tribunal hearings. Precise information on the impact of industrial action on businesses is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Deaths (Drink and Drugs)

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many deaths there were in Northern Ireland in 2003 from (a) suicide, (b) drowning, (c) house fires, (d) other domestic accidents, (e) road traffic accidents, (f) murder and (g) manslaughter; and what percentage were (i) alcohol and (ii) drug-related in each case.

Ian Pearson: The following tables give the total number of deaths/offences in Northern Ireland in 2003 due to suicide and undetermined injury, drowning, domestic accidents (other than fires in a dwelling or drowning), fires in a dwelling, road traffic collisions, murder and manslaughter. Where possible, the percentage of these deaths/offences, which were alcohol and drug-related is provided.
	
		Table 1: Number of registered deaths in Northern Ireland in 2003 from suicide and undetermined injury, drowning and domestic accidents (other than fires in a dwelling or drowning)
		
			 2003 1 deaths Number of deaths Alcohol related percentage Drug-related percentage 
		
		
			 Suicide and undetermined injury(11) 144 0 16 
			 Suicide 132 0 13 
			 Undetermined injury 12 0 50 
			 
			 Drowning(12) 25 n/a n/a 
			 Domestic accidents (other than fires in a dwelling or drowning)(12) 70 n/a n/a 
		
	
	(10) Data for 2003 are provisional and are derived from the civil death registration system.
	(11) In the UK, in considering suicide events it is conventional to include cases where the cause of death is classified as both "suicide and self-inflicted injury" and "undetermined injury". Figures for the percentage of suicides and undetermined injury that are drug-related may include prescription and/or illegal drugs and includes deaths where a combination of alcohol and prescription/illegal drugs were involved, but not intentional or undetermined alcohol poisoning alone.
	(12) For these causes of death, there is no information collected on a death certificate about whether the death was alcohol or drug related.
	Note:
	N/a data not available.
	
		Table 2: Number of deaths in Northern Ireland in 2003 from fires in a dwelling
		
			 2003 Deaths(13) Number of deaths Alcohol related Drug-related 
		
		
			 Fires in a dwelling 11 n/a n/a 
		
	
	(13) Data supplied by the Fire Service of Northern Ireland. No information is available on whether the death due to a fire in a dwelling was alcohol or drug related.
	Note:
	N/a data not available.
	
		Table 3: Number of deaths/offences in Northern Ireland in 2003 from road traffic collisions, murder and manslaughter
		
			  2003 Deaths/offences(14)  Number Alcohol or drug related percentage 
		
		
			 Road traffic collision deaths 150 30 
			 Murder offences 35 n/a 
			 Manslaughter offences 6 n/a 
		
	
	(14) Data supplied by the Police Service of Northern Ireland. The breakdown of deaths due to a road traffic collision which are alcohol or drug-related, includes deaths which are alcohol and/or prescription/illegal drug related. No information is available on whether the recorded murder or manslaughter offence was alcohol or drug related.
	Note:
	N/a data not available.

Demographics

Adrian Flook: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the population was of (a) Moira, (b) Aghalee, (c) Magheralin, (d) Dollingstown, (e) Donaghacloney, (f) Waringstown, (g) Maghaberry and (h) Aghagallon in (i) 1981, (ii) 1991 and (iii) 2001.

Ian Pearson: Commonly agreed definitions of the geographical areas covered by settlements are not available over the period in question. In the 1981 and 1991 censuses, the settlement areas were approximated at those times by Irish Grid Squares while the 2001 census used settlement development limits as defined by the Department of the Environment. Given the different boundaries used over time, and changes in census methodology, changes in the population figures provided as follows cannot be wholly attributed to population growth or decline.
	
		
			  1981 1991 2001 
		
		
			 Moira 1,453 2,772 3,669 
			 Aghalee 735 480 111 
			 Magheralin 911 1,075 1,134 
			 Dollingstown 604 877 1,830 
			 Donaghacloney 650 755 963 
			 Waringstown 1,167 1,831 2,523 
			 Maghaberry n/a 1,009 1,692 
			 Aghagallon n/a 655 819 
		
	
	Note:
	n/a refers to figures for which area boundaries are unavailable.

Domiciliary Care

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the contractual hourly rate paid to domiciliary care providers in Northern Ireland is, broken down by health trust area.

Angela Smith: The details are set out in the table:
	
		
			  Trust  Type of care Hourly rate (£) 
		
		
			 Armagh and Dungannon HSS Trust Personal Care 9.50 
			  Practical Support 7.56 
			  Day Sitting 6.45 
			  Night Sitting 6.45 
			 Causeway HSS Trust All 9.90 
			 Craigavon and Banbridge Community  Trust Personal Care 9.50 
			  Practical Support 7.56 
			  Day Sitting 6.45 
			  Night Sitting 6.45 
			 Down Lisburn HSS Trust All 10.50–11.75 
			 Foyle Community Trust All 7.22–9.50 
			 Homefirst Community Trust All 10.14 
			 Newry and Mourne HSS Trust Personal Care 9.50 
			  Practical Support 7.56 
			  Night Wake 7.20 
			  Day Sitting 6.45 
			  Night Sitting 6.45 
			 North and West Belfast All 11.00 
			 South and East Belfast All 11.00 
			 Sperrin Lakeland Trust Day rate 7.40 
			  Evening/twilight/weekend 7.50 
			  8 hours per night 50.00 
			 Ulster Community and Hospitals Trust All 8.21–12.98

Domiciliary Care

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the average contractual hourly rate paid to domiciliary carers in Northern Ireland is by health trust area.

Angela Smith: The details are set out in the following table:
	
		
			 Trust Average hourly rate (£) 
		
		
			 Armagh and Dungannon HSS Trust 6.06 
			 Causeway HSS Trust 5.70 
			 Craigavon and Banbridge Community Trust 5.98 
			 Down Lisburn HSS Trust 5.88 
			 Foyle Community Trust 6.13 
			 Homefirst Community Trust 6.06 
			 Newry and Mourne HSS Trust 5.81 
			 North and West Belfast Community Trust 6.07 
			 South and East Belfast Community Trust 6.07 
			 Sperrin Lakeland Trust 6.06 
			 Ulster Community and Hospitals Trust 6.35

Euro/European Constitution

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much money has been spent in Northern Ireland since 2001 on preparations for (a) the introduction of the euro and (b) a referendum on the European Constitution.

Ian Pearson: On (a) I refer the hon. Member to the response given by my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary to the Treasury (Ms Kelly), on 14 October 2003, Official Report, column 142W. On (b) , since 2001 no money has been spent on the referendum on the European Constitution in Northern Ireland.

GM Crops

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether it is Government policy not to allow the growing of GM crops in Northern Ireland.

Angela Smith: It is not the Government's policy to prevent the growing of GM crops in Northern Ireland. On 9 March 2004 the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs made a statement in the House setting out the Government's policy on GM issues [Column 1381]. Similar statements were made on the same day in the Welsh Assembly and the Scottish Parliament. In addition, I issued a press release on 12 March 2004 setting out the position in respect of Northern Ireland. A copy has been placed in the Library.
	The essence of our policy is that GM crops will be considered on a case-by-case basis, and consumers will have choice through mandatory labelling of GM products. The primary concern will continue to be to safeguard human health and the environment. The Government will ensure that GM products are safe and provide consumer choice through labelling, but ultimately it will be for farmers and consumers to decide whether they want GM crops and food.

Hearing Aids

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the average waiting time is for people in Northern Ireland to be supplied with a hearing aid in Northern Ireland hospitals.

Angela Smith: Information on average waiting times for supply of hearing aids is not collected. However, provisional information for the quarter ending June 2004 indicates that the median waiting time (the middle value of all waiting times) from the hospital receiving a referral to the supply of a digital hearing aid is between three and six months.

Hearing Aids

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the waiting list is for the supply of hearing aids to patients in each Northern Ireland hospital.

Angela Smith: This information requested is not available.

Heart Disease

Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will replicate the framework for heart diseases in England in Northern Ireland.

Angela Smith: While the health service for Northern Ireland is not included in the National Service Framework for Coronary Heart Disease, the main features were taken fully into account as best practice guidelines in the Review of Cardiology Services in 1999 and a subsequent Review of Cardiac Surgery Services in 2000. The recommendations from these reviews are currently being implemented through a Joint Action Plan, but the ability to fully implement all aspects of the service framework would be dependent on additional resources.

Heart Disease

Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to introduce measures of outcomes in the treatment of heart disease.

Angela Smith: Health and Social Services Trusts already have measures in place to monitor the outcomes of cardiology and cardiac surgery treatments on an ongoing basis. These include the use of clinical audit and contributions to national databases. For example, the Royal Victoria Hospital contributes to the national database for cardiac surgery outcomes, as well as participating in European and international trials aimed at improving treatments of heart disease.

Home Care

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what measures are in place to facilitate joint working between service providers of home care in Northern Ireland.

Angela Smith: The promotion of a flourishing independent sector in social care provision is a key objective of the 'People First' policy. Health and Personal Social Services bodies engage with a wide range of private and voluntary sector agencies in the planning and delivery of domiciliary care. Arrangements also exist for the joint consideration of important issues such as recruitment and training.

Housing (Fraud)

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many cases were recorded of people on housing benefits attempting to defraud the Housing Executive when purchasing houses from it in each of the last three years, with particular reference to (a) organised criminal gangs and (b) paramilitary organisations.

John Spellar: The information requested is not readily available. However the Housing Executive estimates that over the last three years there were around 73 cases of suspected housing benefit fraud where a house sale was also involved.
	The vast majority of these would have been referred to the Benefit Investigation Unit of the Social Security Agency in the 2003–04 financial year for investigation. Of the original 73 cases referred, in one case a substantial overpayment is being raised, in 19 cases investigations are continuing and so evidence of fraudulent activity was found in the remainder.
	All allegations of fraud are taken seriously and investigated thoroughly so that those involved can be prosecuted where there is evidence of fraud. The proposed revisions to the House Sales Scheme, which will apply to applications made from 18 May 2004 contain a range of measures aimed at retaining houses in the social rented sector and will strengthen existing procedures to help reduce the potential for fraud.

Housing Executive

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list schemes the Housing Executive has approved for the next 12 months which grant funding to housing associations for new build locations, broken down by amount of funding involved; and if he will make a statement on applications from housing associations for new build locations which have been refused because the Housing Executive disagreed with the needs assessment carried out by a housing association.

John Spellar: The role of the Housing Executive is to identify housing need and to prioritise bids from housing associations to meet that need. The Department then agrees the programme and allocates funding accordingly.
	The following table lists all schemes that have Housing Executive support to start on site in the 2004–05 financial year. It is not possible to provide information in respect of the next 12 months as requested, as schemes for the next financial year have not been finalised.
	The Department does not maintain a record of applications where there has been a dispute between housing associations and the Housing Executive on needs assessment. In cases where a housing association feels that need has not been fully identified, the Housing Executive welcomes evidence to support the contrary view and is content to enter into discussions to resolve and make adjustments if required.
	
		Housing association planned starts: 2004–05
		
			 Council Location Units NB RH Total cost (£000) 
		
		
			 Antrim Main Street, Toome 7 NB 437 
			 Antrim Crumlin, Antrim 12 RH 559 
			 Antrim Cavalier Court, Antrim 8 NB 652 
			 Ards 33 Robert Street, Newtownards 1 RH 82 
			 Armagh Eglish, Armagh 6 NB 460 
			 Armagh Granemore Road, Ph3, Keady 17 NB 1,521 
			 Ballymena Fernisky Road, Kells 1 NB 287 
			 Ballymoney Market Street, Phi, Ballymoney 6 RH 542 
			 Ballymoney 4 Ballywindyland Road, Macfin, Ballymoney 1 RH 160 
			 Banbridge Hospital Site, Ph1, Banbridge 24 NB 2,361 
			 Banbridge Kinallen, Ph1 , Banbridge 6 NB 550 
			 Belfast Ardgowan, Ph3, Belfast 10 NB 1,288 
			 Belfast Gainsborough, Ph1, Belfast 26 NB 3,023 
			 Belfast Beechmount, Ph5, Belfast 41 NB 4,663 
			 Belfast Owenvale, Ph2, Belfast 2 NB 232 
			 Belfast Malcolmson Street, Belfast 50 NB 4,351 
			 Belfast 42–56 Ballysillan Road, Belfast 8 NB 881 
			 Belfast 19–21 Knock Road, Belfast (Belmont Road) 10 NB 810 
			 Belfast Antrim Road Phld, Belfast (37 Atlantic Ave) 1 RH 166 
			 Belfast Antrim Road Ph1c, Belfast (79 Kansas Ave) 1 RH 138 
			 Belfast North Rugby Club, Ph1, Belfast 79 NB 10,560 
			 Belfast North Belfast 5 RH 562 
			 Belfast Parkgate, Belfast 20 RH 416 
			 Belfast 51 Connsbrook Avenue, Belfast 3 RH 205 
			 Belfast 177–187 Newtownards Road, Belfast 9 NB 778 
			 Belfast Old School House Site, Tamar Street, Belfast 10 NB 1,106 
			 Belfast 16 and 17 Lewis Square, Belfast 2 NB 0 
			 Belfast Tudor, Ph3, Belfast 40 NB 3,321 
			 Belfast 422–424 Antrim Road, Belfast (Rosemount House) 20 RH 2,468 
			 Belfast Woodland Avenue, Belfast 13 NB 1,237 
			 Belfast Ardoyne Acquisitions Ph 3c 2 RH 166 
			 Belfast Ardoyne Acquisitions, Ph4A, Belfast 1 RH 85 
			 Belfast Ardoyne Acquisitions, Ph4B, Belfast 3 RH 248 
			 Belfast Ardoyne Acqusitions, Ph4C, Belfast 2 RH 170 
			 Belfast Ardoyne Acquisitions Ph4D, Belfast 2 RH 170 
			 Belfast Springfield Road, Ph1, Belfast 71 NB 8,137 
			 Belfast Roden/Beit/Roosevelt, Belfast 26 NB 2,871 
			 Belfast Morning Star, 125 Divis Street, Belfast 19 NB 2,277 
			 Belfast Ardkeen House, Marlborough Park, Belfast 13 RH 1,229 
			 Belfast Servia Street, Belfast 4 NB 443 
			 Belfast Gate Lodge, Ormeau Road, Belfast 1 RH 138 
			 Belfast 298 Antrim Road, Belfast (Mater Dei) 13 NB 1,752 
			 Belfast Newington Acquisitions, Ph4, Belfast (Deer Park) 9 NB 1,118 
			 Belfast Rossnareen, Belfast 18 NB 2,071 
			 Belfast Travellers Site, Monagh Road, Belfast 16 NB 2,591 
			 Belfast 32 Springfield Road, Belfast 13 NB 1,410 
			 Belfast Cliftonpark Avenue (BT Site), Belfast 2 NB 229 
			 Belfast Henderson Avenue, Belfast 12 NB 1,109 
			 Belfast Ainsworth Avenue, Belfast 32 NB 3,565 
			 Belfast Milk Marketing Board, Antrim Road, Belfast 83 NB/RH 7,968 
			 Belfast St. Gall's Site, Ph1, Belfast 32 NB 3,794 
			 Belfast 65–67 Falls Road, Belfast 9 NB 734 
			 Belfast Upper Springfield Road, Belfast 24 NB 2,289 
			 Belfast Carlisle House, Henry Place Ph2, Belfast 9 NB 890 
			 Belfast Horn Drive, Lenadoon, Belfast 8 NB 1,020 
			 Belfast Belmont Avenue West, Ballyhackamore, Belfast 6 NB 502 
			 Belfast 2 Brookhill Avenue, Belfast 9 NB 896 
			 Belfast Willowfield Avenue, Belfast 7 NB 813 
			 Belfast L'Arche Ph2 (Rosetta), Belfast 6 RH 467 
			 Belfast 140 University Avenue, Belfast 14 NB 1,150 
			 Belfast Beechfield Street, Belfast 11 NB 1,053 
			 Belfast 24 Clandeboye Drive, Belfast 1 RH 91 
			 Belfast Ph5b, South and East Belfast 4 RH 203 
			 Belfast Devonshire Tradas, Ph1, Belfast 17 NB 2,100 
			 Belfast Warehouse Site, Cambrai Street, Belfast 12 NB 1,400 
			 Belfast 75 Woodvale Road, Belfast 1 RH 120 
			 Carrick Bridewell, Carrickfergus 14 NB 1,140 
			 Carrick Railway Cottages, Taylor's Avenue, Carrick 30 NB 3,097 
			 Castlereagh Bennan Park, Ballybeen 24 NB 2,579 
			 Castlereagh Rurals, Comber/Ballygowan/C'Reagh, Ph1 4 NB 630 
			 Castlereagh Dunseverick Avenue, Castlereagh 12 NB 1,151 
			 Coleraine Millburn Road, Coleraine 3 NB 343 
			 Coleraine Lever Road, Portstewart 8 NB 705 
			 Craigavon Castle Lane, Lurgan 18 NB 1,321 
			 Derry Francis Street, Londonderry 10 NB 788 
			 Derry West Bank, Ph1, Londonderry 10 RH 883 
			 Derry Abercorn Road, Londonderry 11 NB 1,027 
			 Derry Springtown Road, Ph2, Londonderry 34 NB 3,647 
			 Derry City Side, Ph2, Londonderry 4 RH 331 
			 Derry Belmont Cottages, Londonderry 5 NB 358 
			 Derry Belmont Cottages, Londonderry (RI) 12 RH 467 
			 Derry West Bank, Ph12A, Londonderry 5 RH 402 
			 Derry West Bank, Ph12B, Londonderry 5 RH 450 
			 Derry West Bank, Ph12C, Londonderry 5 RH 454 
			 Derry West Bank, Ph12D, Londonderry 5 RH 454 
			 Derry Donal Casey Court, Ph2, Londonderry 6 NB 406 
			 Derry Bonds Hill, Londonderry 15 RH 1,404 
			 Down Todd's Hill, Saintfield 10 NB 920 
			 Down The Square, Strangford 7 NB 896 
			 Down Central Promenade PI, Newcastle 9 NB 543 
			 Dungannon Old Mill Place Orlits, Dungannon 5 NB 492 
			 Dungannon 12 Thomas Street, Dungannon 5 RH 314 
			 Fermanagh Castle Hill House, Lisnaskea 5 RH 366 
			 Fermanagh Castlederg Road, Ederney 10 NB 833 
			 Fermanagh 2–4 Pump Lane, Ederney(Ardvarney) 2 NB 178 
			 Fermanagh Drumclay, Enniskillen 20 NB 1,554 
			 Larne Gardenmore Place, Larne 14 NB 1,081 
			 Limavady 49 Nedd Road, Ballykelly 1 NB 105 
			 Lisburn Lagmore, Ph6, Lisburn 75 NB 8,070 
			 Lisburn 98/100 Queensway, Dunmurry 8 NB 926 
			 Lisburn Wallace Park (Magheralave), Lisburn 1 RH 73 
			 Lisburn 12 Pembrook Manor, Poleglass 1 RH 97 
			 Lisburn Ballymacoss, Central, Lisburn 50 NB 5,153 
			 Magherafelt Moykeeran Crescent, Draperstown 8 NB 646 
			 Magherafelt Kilrea Rd, Upperlands, Maghera 3 NB 244 
			 Newry and Mourne Main Street, Ph2, Forkhill 8 NB 748 
			 Newry and Mourne High Street, Derramore, Bessbrook 14 NB 1,037 
			 Newry and Mourne Ph3, Newtowncloghogue 8 NB 630 
			 Newry and Mourne Patrick Street, Newry 7 NB 538 
			 Newry and Mourne Bridal Loanan, Ph4, Warrenpoint 32 NB 2,721 
			 Newtownabbey Carn Way, New Mossley 5 NB 632 
			 North Down Abbey Place, Holywood 29 NB 2,932 
			 Omagh 41 Segully Road, Drumquin, Omagh 1 RH 122 
			 Strabane Cottages, Ph6, Strabane 10 NB 998 
			  Totals 1,539   
		
	
	Notes:
	NB—New build
	RH—Properties purchased from the private market and rehabilitated to current standards
	Total cost—Total scheme cost, including land purchase

Housing Executive

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many homes were sold to tenants by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive in each of the five years to the end of 2003.

John Spellar: For each of the last five financial years up to 31 March 2003 the figures requested are as follows:
	
		
			  Number sold to sitting tenants 
		
		
			 2003–04 5,583 
			 2002–03 5,991 
			 2001–02 4,985 
			 2000–01 5,509 
			 1999–2000 4,449

Housing Executive

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many homes were in the ownership of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive at the end of 2003.

John Spellar: At the end of the financial year 1 April 2003 to 31 March 2004 the number was 102,850.

Industrial Tribunals

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the average waiting time to hear an industrial tribunal case in Northern Ireland was in the last year for which figures are available.

Barry Gardiner: In 2003 the average time from application to hearing for Industrial Tribunal discriminatory complaints was two years six months and for non-discriminatory complaints five months.

Industrial Tribunals

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many industrial tribunal cases in Northern Ireland are waiting to be heard; and what action he is taking to reduce waiting times.

Barry Gardiner: On 23 August 2004 there were 12,967 cases awaiting determination by the Industrial Tribunals. Almost 2,000 of these were discrimination cases and the remainder were non-discrimination cases. Some 6,300 cases relate to a common complaint against one respondent under working time regulations and a further 1,936 cases relate to 10 large multiple applications. A case may involve more than one complaint.
	A series of measures has already been taken to improve the operation of the tribunals and reduce waiting times, including:
	appointment of three additional full-time Chairmen;
	updating the Tribunal rules of procedure;
	provision of additional administrative staff;
	provision of additional Tribunal accommodation, and;
	introduction of a new IT system.
	Further improvements will include:
	the imminent appointment of additional part-time chairmen;
	enhancements to the Tribunals IT system;
	testing the use of digital audio recording systems to speed up lengthy cases;
	improved case management; and
	promoting alternative methods of resolving workplace disputes.
	In addition, new regulations due to come into effect in April 2005 will introduce statutory minimum dispute resolution procedures in every workplace in Northern Ireland. The outcome of this legislation should be a reduction in the number of applications being made to the Tribunals, which in time should reduce waiting times overall.

Inward Investment

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans Invest Northern Ireland has to ensure that more potential inward investors have opportunities to visit the East Londonderry constituency in 2005.

Barry Gardiner: In the context of a highly competitive marketplace for mobile international investment, the priority is to maximise investment for the Northern Ireland economy as a whole.
	Internationally, Invest Northern Ireland will continue to focus its sales and marketing efforts on aggressively promoting Northern Ireland as an attractive and viable location for new inward investment opportunities. Invest Northern Ireland has a target of securing 150 inward visits by potential investors during the financial year 2004–05. While efforts are made to take visitors to as many potential locations as possible in Northern Ireland, each visit programme is dictated by investor requirements. Invest Northern Ireland's local offices have been working with local stakeholders to ensure that up to date and detailed information on sub-regions is available to potential investors when required.

Lagan Doc Service

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the recording of telephone conversations between the general public and staff at Lagan Doc Service commenced at Down, Lisburn Trust as a matter of course; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Smith: Lagan Doc Out-of-Hours Service has been recording all incoming calls from the public from 6 August 2004. The primary reason for doing so is to help improve the quality of service provided and additionally for staff training and security purposes. Callers are advised at the outset, by a pre-recorded message, that the call is being recorded and of the reasons for doing so.

Londonderry Railway Station

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much has been spent on (a) maintenance and (b) improvements to the rail station in Londonderry in each of the past five years.

John Spellar: The following figures detail how much has been spent on maintenance to the rail station in Londonderry in each of the past five years. There were no capital costs for improvements or additions.
	
		Maintenance
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 1999–2000 30,445 
			 2000–01 31,387 
			 2001–02 33,039 
			 2002–03 34,416 
			 2003–04 41,930

Manufacturing Industry

David Trimble: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people were employed in manufacturing in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years; and how many people he estimates will be employed in manufacturing in each of the next five years.

Barry Gardiner: The NI labour market is performing well; the latest employee jobs figure of 683,050 is the highest figure on record. However, over the last 30 years a trend of declining manufacturing employment has been a feature of advanced economies including NI. As illustrated in the following table, over the last five years the number of manufacturing employee jobs in NI decreased by over 15 per cent. (the comparable figure for the UK is 17 per cent.).
	
		Employee jobs in manufacturing (seasonally adjusted)
		
			 Year (June) Manufacturing employee jobs in NI 
		
		
			 1999 105,430 
			 2000 103,830 
			 2001 101,930 
			 2002 (R) 97,510 
			 2003 (R) 92,840 
			 2004 (P) 89,080 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10
	2. Figures are seasonally adjusted
	Source:
	DETI, Northern Ireland Labour Market Statistics
	The Department does not provide forecasts of labour market trends. However, DETI is aware of the challenges facing manufacturing and has recently commissioned research which will inform the development of NI policy for this important sector.

Mental Health

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the cost to public funds in the Province was in each of the last five years of (a) care provision, (b) absence from work, (c) legal actions against employers and (d) premature deaths, in relation to mental health.

Angela Smith: Details of total HSS Trust expenditure on the Mental Health Programme of Care in Northern Ireland for each of the last five years available are listed in the following table:
	
		
			 Year ended March Total Expenditure (£ millions) 
		
		
			 1999 114.8 
			 2000 124.0 
			 2001 133.2 
			 2002 139.3 
			 2003 150.8 
		
	
	The information required to answer parts (b), (c) and (d) is not available.

Ministers

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many days each Northern Ireland Minister was on duty in the Province in each of the last six months.

Paul Murphy: The number of days that each Northern Ireland Office Minister was on duty in Northern Ireland in each of the last six months was as follows:
	
		
			  March April May June July August 
		
		
			 Secretary of State 10 16 13 13 10 8 
			 John Spellar 10 5 8 10 5 1 
			 Ian Pearson 12 9 10 10 12 7 
			 Angela Smith 14 9 10 5 9 9 
			 Barry Gardiner — 9 7 11 6 6

Post Offices (Deprived Areas)

David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made in implementing the Fund to Develop Post Offices in Deprived Urban Areas.

John Spellar: This Deprived Urban Post Office Scheme opened for applications in April of this year. The first application was received in May from a Belfast post master and the second application was received in June from a Lurgan post master. Both of these applications are at an advanced stage of processing. Two further applications to the scheme were received in September from post masters in Craigavon and Newry.
	Officials from the Department for Social Development have met with representatives from Post Office Ltd. regarding the scheme. At these discussions the post office confirmed that further applications will be submitted to the Department in the near future.

Public Services

Harry Barnes: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will estimate the cost of the duplication of public services in Northern Ireland provided separately for Catholics and Protestants.

John Spellar: The Government continues to work to provide services that are focused on delivering the outcomes that all of the citizens in Northern Ireland need and expect.
	The Government acknowledges that Northern Ireland remains deeply divided, despite earnest progress, particularly at local level, to build trust and confidence within and between communities. It recognises that division, and the tensions and conflict that it causes, almost certainly may have reduced the cost effectiveness of public service provision.
	The causes of division are complex and the understanding of these causes and their associated costs will be an important dimension of the work that will flow from the new strategic framework and policy on good relations that we propose to bring forward later this year.

PWS Ireland

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much money has been paid to the company PWS Ireland in each year since January 2001 in return for work completed in fulfilling government tender work in relation to the provision of road traffic signs and associated equipment, including the hire of equipment; how much money has been paid in total in each year since January 2001 in return for the completion of government tenders in relation to the provision of road traffic signs and associated equipment; and if he will make a statement.

John Spellar: The Chief Executive of Roads Service (Dr. Malcolm McKibbin) has been asked to write to the hon. Lady in response to this question.
	Letter from Dr. Malcolm McKibbin to Mrs. Iris Robinson, dated 8 October 2004
	You recently asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland a Parliamentary Question about how much money has been paid to the company PWS Ireland in each year since January 2001, and how much money has been paid in total each year since January 2001 for the completion of government tenders for the provision of road traffic signs and associated equipment. I have been asked to reply as the issue raised falls within my responsibility as Chief Executive of Roads Service.
	Under normal circumstances, in accordance with part 2, para. 13 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information (Third Party's Commercial Confidences), it would be inappropriate to provide the information, which you have requested. I have however confirmed with PWS Ireland that they are content that the information, which you have requested, can be provided in this instance and I am therefore able to make this available to you.
	The sums paid to PWS Ireland in each year since January 2001, and sums paid in total each year since January 2001 for the completion of government tenders for the provision of road traffic signs and associated equipment, are shown in the following table.
	
		
			   £ 
			  Paid to PWS Ireland Total sums paid 
		
		
			 2001 649,893 793,675 
			 2002 610,253 834,628 
			 2003 440,129 857,765 
			 2004 499,039 727,522

Renewable Energy Targets

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress is being made in reaching the renewable energy targets set for Northern Ireland over the next five years.

Barry Gardiner: Northern Ireland's single renewable energy target is that, by 2012, 12 per cent. of electricity supplied to Northern Ireland consumers will come from indigenous renewable generation. Annual targets have not been set.
	An estimate of the electricity supplied in Northern Ireland, originating from renewable energy sources during 2004–05, together with actual levels supplied for the past three years, is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Total renewables (excluding imports) GWh Total electricity supply GWh Percentage renewables (excluding imports) percentage 
		
		
			 2001–02 128 8,317 1.5 
			 2002–03 136 8,551 1.6 
			 2003–04 238 8,671 2.7 
			 2004–05 (est) 305 8,800 3.5

Residential Care (Teenagers)

Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many teenagers who require some form of specialist residential care and treatment are in unsuitable accommodation; and what steps the health and social service boards are taking to provide suitable residential provision for such children.

Angela Smith: The four Heath and Social Services Boards indicate that there are 28 young people requiring some form of specialist residential care and treatment who are currently in residential accommodation not designed to meet their needs. Despite this, the Boards report that all of the young people involved are receiving a high standard of care.
	The four Health and Social Services Boards are represented on the Children Matter Task Force, and there is continuing progress in the development of a range of residential care options for looked after children. This includes the development of a regional facility for children with social, emotional and psychological needs, and the expansion of the range of facilities capable of catering for children and young people with learning disabilities. There are also plans to redevelop existing Intensive Support Units, some of which will focus on addiction/substance misuse and behavioural problems.

Royal Hospital Trust

Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he expects the Royal Hospital Trust to achieve the target of cardiac surgical operations set in 1992.

Angela Smith: A target level of 1,100 procedures per annum was set in 1992, and this was exceeded in 1994–95 when 1,128 procedures were carried out at the Royal Group of Hospitals. Since then, new therapies and interventions have been introduced that have reduced the overall demand for cardiac surgery and the case mix of patients requiring these has intensified. As a result, the Royal assesses current demand for cardiac surgery at around 900 cases per annum.
	The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, in conjunction with Boards and Trusts, is presently examining the cardiology and cardiac surgery service with a view to further development. This will include the reconsideration of demand and capacity issues. The waiting list for cardiac surgery at the Royal was reduced by 50 per cent. in 2003–04.

Salt Boxes

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 
	(1)  what criteria determine whether salt boxes are provided on streets and roads in Northern Ireland;
	(2)  how many salt boxes have been provided for the use of residents in (a) North Belfast and (b) Northern Ireland in each year since 2001;
	(3)  what the cost of the provision of salt boxes on streets and roads in Northern Ireland has been in each year since 2001;
	(4)  if he will provide a salt box for the use of residents in the Northwood Drive area of North Belfast.

John Spellar: The Chief Executive of Roads Service (Dr. Malcolm McKibbin) has been asked to write to the hon. Gentleman in response to these questions.
	Letter from Dr. Malcolm McKibbin to Mr. Nigel Dodds, dated 23 September 2004
	You recently asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland four Parliamentary Questions in relation salt box provision and costs in Northern Ireland. I have been asked to reply as the issues raised fall within my responsibility as Chief Executive of Roads Service.
	You asked what criteria is used to determine whether a salt box should be provided. Roads Service receives many requests for the provision of salt boxes, and the demand outstrips our capacity to provide them all and replenish them, particularly in times of snow when boxes need frequent refilling.
	Accordingly, salt boxes may be provided on public roads which are not included in the salting schedule, in accordance with the following procedure:
	Sites qualify for detailed consideration if the gradient exceeds 5 per cent. and there is no reasonable alternative salted route;
	Sites meeting that criterion are considered in more detail using a points system which takes account of factors such as, road gradient, road geometry, residential and commercial usage and community facilities (schools, hospitals, etc);
	A salt box is provided if a site exceeds a certain points threshold.
	You also asked how many salt boxes had been provided for the use of residents in North Belfast and Northern Ireland since 2001. While Roads Service does not maintain details of the number of salt boxes provided on a parliamentary constituency basis, the table below details the approximate number and estimated costs of providing and maintaining salt boxes across Northern Ireland's streets and roads in financial years 2001–02 to 2003–04. Generally salt boxes are collected at the end of the winter season, checked for serviceability, returned to site, and refilled before the next winter season.
	
		Salt boxes provided in each of the last three years
		
			  Number of boxes Cost 
		
		
			 2001–02 2,820 (15)137,689 
			 2002–03 2,810 (15)141,153 
			 2003–04 2,917 (15)148,420 
		
	
	(15) Costs include initial purchase/replacement costs attributable to these years, and the labour, plant and material cost of refilling the boxes.
	With regard to provision of a salt box for the use of residents in the Northwood Drive area, there is little I can add to the recent responses you have received from Mr. Joe Drew, Eastern Divisional Roads Manager and myself on this matter.
	In my letter of 21 July 2004, I explained again the above criteria used to determine whether salt boxes can be provided and, that following an assessment it has been concluded that Northwood Drive does not meet the minimum threshold for the provision of a salt box.
	I have reviewed all previous correspondence on this issue, and have concluded that officials have conducted the assessment of the need for a salt box thoroughly, correctly, and in accordance with established policy, and I regret that we cannot provide a salt box at Northwood Drive.
	I trust you will appreciate that there are many roads in Northern Ireland where local residents have similar concerns and, given the many other demands on our finite resources, many of them safety related, it is simply not possible for us to accede to all requests.

School Transport

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made in implementing the recommendation of the Northern Ireland Assembly regarding (a) seats and (b) seatbelts for all school children travelling to and from school in buses.

Barry Gardiner: In 2003 the Department of the Environment commissioned transportation consultants to carry out an initial cost benefit assessment and draw up Terms of Reference for a full Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) of the Environment Committee's seating and seatbelt recommendations.
	This research confirmed that these recommendations have very large capital and operating cost implications set against a small safety benefit. The consultants advised that, in order to complete a robust RIA, more data on travel demand, bus operations and school pupil casualty rates were needed. The Department is currently collating and collecting this information.
	The Department of Education has no plans to amend the existing arrangements until the results of the RIA are known. All new Education and Library Board buses have seat belts fitted as standard. It will, however, take some time to replace the existing fleet which consists of almost 700 buses at present. Board buses are maintained to a higher standard than is required under current legislation.

School Travel Plan Pilot

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment the Government have made of the operation of the School Travel Plan Pilot; and what plans there are to extend its scope.

John Spellar: The Chief Executive of Roads Service (Dr. Malcolm McKibbin) has been asked to write to the hon. Gentleman in response to this question.
	Letter from Dr. Malcolm McKibbin to Mr. Roy Beggs, dated 27 September 2004
	You recently asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland a Parliamentary Question about what assessment the Government has made of the operation of the School Travel Plan Pilot; and what plans there are to extend its scope. I have been asked to reply as this issue falls within my responsibility as Chief Executive of Roads Service.
	You will be aware that, as proposed by the Regional Transportation Strategy 2002–12, Roads Service has been working to address the issue of the 'school run', given its impact on morning traffic congestion, through the Travelwise "Safer Routes to Schools" initiative. The overall aim of this initiative is to encourage more children to walk, cycle and use public transport for their journey to school.
	The Department of Education, the Department of the Environment Road Safety Team and other agencies are working alongside Roads Service in this project.
	The following six schools are currently participating in the initiative:
	St. Joseph's College, Belfast;
	Oakwood Integrated Primary School, Dunmurry;
	Wallace High School, Lisburn;
	St. Anthony's Primary School, Craigavon;
	Parkhall College, Antrim; and
	St. Brigid's College, Londonderry
	This is the first time a schools initiative to promote sustainable modes of transport has been undertaken in Northern Ireland. Measures at the six schools are mainly exploratory and at different stages of development. The overall aim is to assist each school in developing a travel plan, which sets out a package of measures for reducing the number of car trips made to school. Where appropriate, Roads Service will subsequently introduce improvements to the roadway, such as installing pedestrian facilities and traffic calming measures, to facilitate children who may want to walk, cycle or use public transport. Additionally, other measures such as cycle shelters and lockers are provided by the Department of Education inside the schools premises.
	To get the school travel initiative started, Roads Service and its partners have spent nearly £85,000 over the last three years to investigate existing infrastructure and facilities at the schools, examine accident data, undertake surveys to establish baseline school travel information, and pay for the training of a Travel Plan Co-ordinator who was appointed to champion the initiative in the schools. No specific funding has been allocated as yet for the further development of travel plans, as resources are being concentrated for the time being on the pilot group of six schools. However, it is intended, as part of the next stage of the initiative, to develop a practical support package that encourages other schools to engage in the travel plan process.
	The improvements to the infrastructure and facilities at each of the pilot schools will be completed early in 2005. While we will undertake a preliminary assessment of how successful these measures have been during the latter part of 2005, initial work including installation of cycle shelters at the schools has had very positive results and generated an increase in cycling among pupils. It is anticipated that the planned infrastructure work to the road network adjacent to the schools should have equal effect in facilitating and encouraging more children to use sustainable modes of transport.

Self-employment

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many self-employed people there were in Northern Ireland by the (a) end of 1998 and (b) end of 2003.

Barry Gardiner: The Labour Force Survey (LFS) estimates that there were 95,000 self-employed people in Northern Ireland at winter 1998–99 and 111,000 self-employed people at winter 2003–04.

Sickness Absence

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment has been made of alternative methods for verifying absence from work through sickness.

John Spellar: Following UK-wide consultation, as announced in "Pathways to work: Helping people into employment: the Government's response and action plan" [CM 5830], the Government have undertaken research to explore the potential for extending statutory certification to nonmedical health care professionals.

Sports Facilities

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what provision is being made to increase sports facilities in Northern Ireland prior to 2012.

Angela Smith: The Sports Council for Northern Ireland is presently planning a number of schemes which will include provision to increase sports facilities where required in advance of 2012. These include a new Sports Grounds Development Programme, Soccer Strategy programme and community based and performance focused Lottery capital programmes. The Sports Council is also currently developing a sports facilities strategy to help determine levels of sports facilities likely to be needed in Northern Ireland in the future, including prior to 2012. In addition to this, I am presently giving consideration to the possibility of a multi-sports stadium for Northern Ireland. The Department of Social Development (DSD), through its Regional Development Offices, and with assistance from the EU Peace 2 Programme, is contributing to and providing funding for the development of a wide range of multi-sports facilities in Northern Ireland. Moreover, in implementing the Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy over the next 7–10 years, DSD will continue to support regeneration proposals that incorporate sport as part of the comprehensive regeneration of disadvantaged areas.

Teachers (Sick Leave)

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to his answer of 20 May, Official Report, column 1216W, on teachers' sick leave, when he intends to write to the hon. Member for East Antrim.

Barry Gardiner: I wrote to the hon. Member for East Antrim on 1 October indicating that the number of teachers who took sick leave of 20 days or more during each of the last five academic years is as follows:
	
		
			  Number of teachers with 20 or more days sick leave 
		
		
			 1999–2000 1573 
			 2000–2001 1765 
			 2001–2002 1765 
			 2002–2003 1809 
			 2003–2004 1359 
		
	
	I have arranged for a copy of the letter to be placed in the Library.

TK-ECC Site

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps are being taken by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment to encourage maximum use of the former TK-ECC site in Dundonald, following its recent sale.

Barry Gardiner: As the factory and its associated site are privately owned, Invest NI has no direct role in encouraging its use to be maximised.
	However, Invest NI stands ready, if requested, to work with the owners and their agents to market the property in line with the existing employment/industrial use for which it is currently zoned.

Tunes Plateau Windfarm

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the latest position on the proposed offshore windfarm at Tunes Plateau.

Barry Gardiner: The development consortium continues to undertake feasibility studies within the area which could potentially accommodate a wind farm. It has not as yet made an application for the development of a wind farm at Tunes Plateau. Should such an application be received it will be subject to full public consultation.

Universities

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what arrangements are in place to monitor the financial position of Northern Ireland's universities.

Barry Gardiner: The Department for Employment and Learning engages the services of the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) to monitor the financial position of the two Northern Ireland universities through the examination of various annual financial returns. HEFCE is a non-departmental public body of the Department for Education and Skills. In addition, HEFCE assesses annual reports from each university's Audit Committee, internal auditors and external auditors, as well as carrying out periodic review visits to Queen's University and the University of Ulster. The books and records of the universities are also audited and certified annually by the universities' external auditors. These are also open to inspection by the Department's internal auditors, HEFCE's Audit Service and the Northern Ireland Audit Office.

TREASURY

Employment

Tom Cox: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (a) part-time and (b) full-time workers are in employment in the Greater London area.

Stephen Timms: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Tom Cox, dated 12 October 2004
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about employment in the Greater London area. (190260)
	There were 2,836,000 people in full-time employment and 736,000 in part-time employment with usual residence in the Greater London area in the three month period ending May 2004, the latest date for which information is available. These estimates are not seasonally adjusted.
	As with any sample survey, estimates from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) are subject to sampling variability.

Employment

Anne Picking: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many jobs have been created in East Lothian constituency since 1997.

Stephen Timms: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Ms Anne Picking, dated 12 October 2004
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about jobs created in East Lothian Parliamentary Constituency. (190145)
	While statistics of new jobs created are not available explicitly, statistics from surveys enable comparisons to be made of net changes in numbers of jobs from year-to-year.
	The attached table shows the information requested, relating to employee jobs in East Lothian for 1997 and 2002, which is the latest year available.
	
		Number of employees(16) with workplace in East Lothian parliamentary constituency: 1997 and 2002
		
			  Number total 
		
		
			 1997 18,300 
			 2002 19,800 
			 Change from 1997 to 2002(17) 1,500 
		
	
	(16) Employee jobs only, not self-employed jobs.
	(17) The 1997 to 2002 change has been rounded to the nearest hundred separately from rounded levels for 1997 and 2002.
	Source:
	1997; Annual Employment Survey, rescaled. 2002; Annual Business Inquiry.

Lorry Road User Charging

Tim Yeo: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people are employed working on the project to introduce lorry road user charging; and what their budget is.

John Healey: The Chancellor of the Exchequer made clear in the 2004 Spending Review (Cm 6237), that the Government remain committed to ensuring that all hauliers, regardless of their nationality, pay an amount related to the distance they travel on UK roads. It will be revenue neutral overall to hauliers who already contribute through UK fuel duty.
	In 2003–04, the last complete year for which figures are available, around 70 people were employed by the Lorry Road-user charging (LRUC) programme.
	HM Customs and Excise's most recent resource allocations and accounts were published in their Annual Report and Accounts 2002–03 (HC 52) and Spring Report 2004 (Cm 6224) and updated in the 2004 Spending Review. The allocated budget for LRUC in 2004–05 is £30 million. It would be inappropriate to disclose estimates for future years: exemption 7 (Effective management and operations of the public service) of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information applies.

National Insurance Contributions Office

Colin Pickthall: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many citizens in this financial year to date have been sent a letter by the National Insurance Contributions Office announcing a shortfall in contributions to state pensions; how many of those letters have been shown to be wrong; and how much of this is due to lost records.

Dawn Primarolo: I gave written statements to the House, on 16 May and 18 June 2003, that Inland Revenue was to resume the issue of letters telling people about shortfalls in their national insurance contributions records. That exercise has now been successfully completed. As stated in my answer of 5 February 2004, Official Report, columns 1350–351W, Inland Revenue sent out over 10 million letters between October 2003 and September 2004. These show any gaps in the recipient's contribution record for the years 1996–97 to 2001–02 and invite them to inform the Inland Revenue if the information shown is incomplete or incorrect, so that records can be corrected. Corrections to national insurance records may be necessary for a number of reasons but it is not possible to identify separately those resulting from lost records.

Tax Credits

Andrew Turner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many adjustments have been made to payments in respect of tax credit claim 2004/08 001519 as a result of errors in his Department; and if he will list the stages in determining payment under this claim, showing the calculations at each stage.

Dawn Primarolo: The Inland Revenue may need to adjust payments during the year as a result of a change of circumstances, for example to avoid paying too much tax credits over the year as a whole. They will also adjust payments to recover an overpayment of tax credits from a previous year. Their approach to payment adjustments and the recovery of overpayments is explained in the Code of Practice 26 'What happens if we have paid you too much tax credit?' and a copy has been placed in the Commons Library.
	It would not be appropriate for me to discuss publicly the cases of individual customers. However, the Inland Revenue wrote to the hon. Member on 9 September 2004 and the Tax Credit Office are speaking regularly with the constituent concerned about their tax credits claim and payments.

Tax Credits

John Thurso: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many overpayments of tax credits have been made in Scotland in this financial year; what the value of those overpayments is; and how many of these overpayments are subject to recovery.

Dawn Primarolo: Overpayments of 2004–05 awards will normally be recognised after the end of the year when incomes for the year are known and final decisions taken on entitlement.
	Awards are also adjusted during the year to take account of changes of circumstance or income. Where the amount payable is reduced, payments are adjusted so as to pay out the right amount for the year as a whole. This is part of the normal operation of the tax credit system, and no count of such occurrences is maintained.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Pension Credit Entitlement

Colin Pickthall: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what decisions he has reached on extending the period for which pension credit customers are allowed to go abroad without it affecting their entitlement.

Malcolm Wicks: No decision has yet been made. Officials are researching a range of options for potentially extending the period for which pension credit can continue to be paid for customers who go abroad for less than 52 weeks.

Pensioners (Mitcham and Morden)

Siobhain McDonagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will set out, with statistical evidence relating as closely as possible to the Mitcham and Morden constituency, the effects of changes in departmental policy since 1997 on the income of pensioners in the constituency.

Malcolm Wicks: The available information is set out as follows:
	Nationally, the average pensioner household will be £1,350 per year, or £26 per week, better off in 2004–05 because of measures the Government have introduced, including pension credit, than they would have been under the 1997 system. The poorest third of pensioner households will be £1,750 per year, or £33 per week, better off. Figures for the average gains in Mitcham and Morden are not available. Figures available for the Mitcham and Morden constituency are as follows:
	As at 30 September 2003 there were 12,700 pensioners in the Mitcham and Morden constituency in receipt of basic state pension 1 . These pensioners have benefited from the 7 per cent. above inflation increase that has been made to the basic state pension since 1997.
	As at 31 August 2004 there were 3,365 pensioner households in receipt of pension credit in the parliamentary constituency of Mitcham and Morden. The average weekly pension credit payment was £51.86 2 .
	In October 2002, the upper age limit on claims for carer's allowance was abolished. This change means that carers aged 65 and over can now claim and gain entitlement to the allowance and to carer's additional amount in pension credit. As at May 2004, there were 140 people aged 65 and over entitled to carer's allowance in the parliamentary constituency of Mitcham and Morden 2 .
	The winter fuel payment and 80+ annual payment also make a positive contribution to the incomes of pensioners in the constituency. The one-off 70+ payment for households including someone aged 70 or over will help pensioners with their living expenses, including council tax bills. For data on these payments, I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to her on 16 September 2004, Official Report, column 1747W.
	Sources:
	1 DWP administrative data, 5 per cent. sample. Figures rounded to nearest 100.
	2 DWP administrative data, 100 per cent. sample. Figures rounded to nearest 5.

HEALTH

Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been spent to date on setting up the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health.

Rosie Winterton: By the end of 2004–05, the total running and set up costs of the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health (CPPIH) to date will be £66.76 million. This includes all costs associated with patients' forums. It also includes CPPIH set up costs in 2002–03 of around £2.5 million.

Colorectal Cancer

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people suffering from colorectal cancer are receiving treatment.

Melanie Johnson: The Department does not hold the information requested. However, data on finished admission episodes for of cancers of the colon and/or rectum is collected. This is shown in the table. These figures relate to 2002–03.
	
		
			 Primary diagnosis code Total episodes 
		
		
			 C18 (malignant neoplasm of colon) 87,884 
			 C19 (malignant neoplasm of rectosigmoid junction) 14,840 
			 C20 (malignant neoplasm of rectum) 46,759 
			 C21 (malignant neoplasm of anus and anal canal) 2,521 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. A finished admission episode is the first period of in-patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. Please note that admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within a year.
	2. The primary diagnosis is the first of up to 14 (7 prior to 2002–03) diagnosis fields in the hospital episode statistics (HES) data set and provides the main reason why the patient was in hospital.
	3. Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in data (i.e. the data are ungrossed).
	Source:
	HES—Department of Health

Continuing Care

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the consultancy work he has commissioned in the last 12 months concerning NHS continuing care; what the remit of the work was; when it was completed; and when he plans to publish it.

Stephen Ladyman: The only consultancy work commissioned centrally in the last 12 months has been the independent review of continuing care in nine strategic health authorities. The remit was to examine the review of criteria, progress with restitution and current processes. The work was commissioned in autumn 2003 and reported in June 2004. We will publish it in due course.

Dentistry

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients were registered with a NHS dentist in each primary care trust of the Surrey and Sussex Strategic Health Authority in each year since 1997.

Rosie Winterton: The general dental service dental registration numbers for June each year since 1997 for primary care trusts (PCTs) in the Surrey and Sussex Strategic Health Authority are shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Primary care trust 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 
		
		
			 Bexhill and Rother 47,408 42,418 39,153 39,514 38,000 35,639 36,974 37,689 
			 Brighton and Hove City 145,078 129,598 122,853 123,499 124,841 121,730 126,566 134,371 
			 Crawley 41,770 42,236 44,827 47,250 43,746 40,264 38,127 36,941 
			 Eastbourne Downs 87,307 65,421 81,918 83,559 83,238 81,021 79,117 76,504 
			 Sussex Downs and Weald 81,774 77,645 73,975 77,679 76,169 77,444 80,304 78,589 
			 North Surrey 99,302 69,949 88,437 87,201 88,423 88,265 87,311 83,797 
			 Woking 105,698 99,312 93,386 94,920 93,786 91,592 89,833 79,144 
			 Adur, Arun and Worthing 126,674 113,321 108,242 107,023 106,832 105,724 103,331 105,900 
			 Western Sussex 106,370 98,357 97,461 103,154 100,105 97,960 97,592 98,183 
			 Guildford and Waverley 111,896 102,347 98,949 98,910 94,894 101,361 96,344 94,402 
			 East Elmbridge and Mid Surrey 120,955 112,567 110,221 107,777 104,635 100,445 97,838 98,483 
			 East Surrey 84,202 78,077 73,414 72,512 73,010 72,776 74,741 74,070 
			 Hastings and St Leonards 53,885 48,672 47,856 49,059 51,939 49,821 50,589 51,173 
			 Horsham and Chanctonbury 55,384 43,870 48,642 46,942 48,671 49,261 50,631 50,405 
			 Mid-Sussex 79,010 73,469 70,629 69,585 71,042 68,999 71,800 73,300 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Changes in the registration periods for registrations starting after 31 August 1996 means that registration numbers for June 1997 and June 1998 are not on the same basis as later figures. Before that date, the registration period for adults was 24 months whilst children's registrations lasted until the end of the following calendar year. From 1 September 1996, registrations have lasted for 15 months from the end of the month of registration. The figures for some PCT areas will also be affected by the introduction in October 1998 and subsequent growth of the personal dental service.
	2. Patients may access national health service dental treatment without being registered with a general dental service dentist, for example as a patient of a dental access centre.

General Practitioners

Richard Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many general practitioners there are per head of population in each of the primary care trusts within the Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire Strategic Health Authority.

Stephen Ladyman: pursuant to his reply, 24 March 2004, c. 918W
	I regret that the figures provide in my previous response were incorrect, dut to an error in the published figures. The correct figures are shown in the table.
	
		Unrestricted Principals are Equivalents(18) (UPEs) per 100,000 patients for Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire Strategic Health Authority by Primary Care Trust as at 30 September 2003 Number (headcount)
		
			 UPEs  UPE Patients UPEs per 100,000 patients 
		
		
			 Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire — 1,341 2,253,423 60 
			 Of which Bradland 73 118,958 61 
			  Cambridge City 87 145,033 60 
			  Central Suffolk 63 100,162 63 
			  East Cambridgeshire and Fenland 81 146,197 55 
			  Great Yarmouth 47 95,988 49 
			  Huntingdonshire 94 150,093 63 
			  Ipswich 88 148,987 59 
			  North Norfolk 60 100,943 59 
			  North Peterborough 58 113,661 51 
			  Norwich 91 136,799 67 
			  South Cambridgeshire 64 103,357 62 
			  South Peterborough 58 95,172 59 
			  South Norfolk 114 202,729 56 
			  Souffolk Coastal 63 99,524 63 
			  Souffolk West 137 225,026 61 
			  Waveney 76 125,969 60 
			  West Norfolk 89 144,824 61 
		
	
	(18) UPEs include GMS Unrestricted Principals, PMS contracted GPs and PMS Salaried GPs. Patient data has been revised from previously published figures.
	Sources:
	Department of Health General and Personal Medical Services Statistics

General Practitioners

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many general practitioners there were per head of population in (a) England and (b) each Strategic Health Authority in each year since 1997.

John Hutton: pursuant to his reply, 22 April 2004, Official Report, c. 620W
	I regret my previous response was incorrect, due to an error in the published figures. The correct figures are shown in the table.
	
		All General Medical Practitioners(19) (excluding GP retainers) per 100,000 of the population by Strategic Health Authority: 1997–2003 Number (headcount)
		
			   1997 1998 1999 
			   All practitioners (excl. Ret) All practitioners (excl. Ret) per 1000,000 population All Practitioners (excl. Ret) All Practitioners (excl. Ret) per 100,000 population All Practitioners (excl. Ret) All Practitioners (excl. Ret) per 1000,000 population 
		
		
			 England Total  29,389 60 29,697 61 29,987 61 
			 
			 North East Total  1,485 58 1,506 59 1,520 60 
			 County Durham and Tees Valley 010 649 57 650 57 656 58 
			 Northumberland, Tyne and Wear 009 836 59 856 61 864 62 
			 
			 North West Total  4,040 59 4.044 60 4,124 61 
			 Cheshire and Merseyside 015 1,421 60 1,413 60 1,456 62 
			 Cumbria and Lancashire 013 1,134 60 1,147 60 1,158 61 
			 Greater Manchester 014 1,485 59 1,484 59 1,510 60 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber Total  3,021 61 3,028 61 3,092 63 
			 North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire 011 999 62 991 62 1,011 63 
			 South Yorkshire Q23 758 59 758 59 772 61 
			 West Yorkshire Q12 1,264 61 1,279 62 1,309 63 
			 
			 East Midlands Total  2,338 57 2,361 58 2,369 58 
			 Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland Q25 908 60 902 59 898 58 
			 Trent Q24 1,430 56 1,459 57 1,471 57 
			 
			 West Midlands Total  3,026 58 3,057 58 3,093 59 
			 Birmingham and the Black Country 027 1,327 58 1,343 59 1,357 60 
			 Shropshire and Staffordshire 026 792 54 813 55 830 56 
			 West Midlands South 028 907 60 901 60 906 60 
			 
			 East of England Total  3,080 58 3,141 59 3,156 59 
			 Bedford and Hertfordshire 002 915 59 944 60 948 60 
			 Essex 003 849 54 862 54 860 54 
			 Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire 001 1,316 62 1,335 62 1,348 62 
			 
			 London Total  4,532 65 4,515 65 4,496 64 
			 North Central London 005 788 69 802 70 786 68 
			 North East London 006 888 62 896 62 894 61 
			 North West London 004 1,209 73 1,188 71 1,134 67 
			 South East London Q07 868 60 862 59 901 61 
			 South West London 008 779 62 767 61 781 62 
			 
			 South East Total  4,682 60 4,788 61 4,830 61 
			 Hampshire and Isle of Wight 017 1,060 61 1,070 61 1,089 62 
			 Kent and Medway 018 904 58 916 59 918 59 
			 Surrey and Sussex Q19 1,486 59 1,518 60 1,522 60 
			 Thames Valley 016 1,232 60 1,284 62 1,301 63 
			 
			 South West Total  3,185 66 3,257 67 3,307 68 
			 Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire 020 1,325 63 1,374 65 1,404 65 
			 Somerset and Dorset 022 794 68 820 70 843 72 
			 South West Peninsula Q21 1,066 69 1,063 69 1,060 68 
		
	
	
		Number (headcount)
		
			   2000 2001 2002 
			   All practitioners (excl. Ret) All practitioners (excl. Ret) per 1000,000 population All Practitioners (excl. Ret) All Practitioners (excl. Ret) per 100,000 population All Practitioners (excl. Ret) All Practitioners (excl. Ret) per 1000,000 population 
		
		
			 England Total  30,252 62 30,685 62 31,182 63 
			 
			 North East Total  1,536 61 1,603 64 1,645 65 
			 County Durham and Tees Valley 010 661 58 696 61 701 62 
			 Northumberland, Tyne and Wear 009 875 63 907 65 944 68 
			 
			 North West Total  4,134 61 4,174 62 4,247 63 
			 Cheshire and Merseyside 015 1,459 62 1,481 63 1,536 65 
			 Cumbria and Lancashire 013 1,152 61 1,174 62 1,200 63 
			 Greater Manchester 014 1,523 60 1,519 60 1,511 60 
			 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber Total  3,123 63 3,192 64 3,253 65 
			 North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire 011 1,021 63 1,039 64 1,065 65 
			 South Yorkshire Q23 778 61 794 63 808 64 
			 West Yorkshire Q12 1,324 64 1,359 65 1,380 66 
			 
			 East Midlands Total  2,384 58 2,437 58 2,466 58 
			 Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland Q25 877 57 894 57 910 58 
			 Trent Q24 1,507 58 1,543 59 1,556 59 
			 
			 West Midlands Total  3,142 60 3,157 60 3,255 61 
			 Birmingham and the Black Country 027 1,380 61 1,391 61 1,428 63 
			 Shropshire and Staffordshire 026 838 56 825 55 861 58 
			 West Midlands South 028 924 61 941 62 966 63 
			 
			 East of England Total  3,183 59 3,204 59 3,223 59 
			 Bedford and Hertfordshire 002 955 60 965 60 976 61 
			 Essex 003 857 53 851 53 846 52 
			 Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire 001 1,371 63 1,388 64 1,401 64 
			 
			 London Total  4,548 64 4,545 62 4,609 63 
			 North Central London 005 819 70 804 67 806 66 
			 North East London 006 925 62 899 59 945 61 
			 North West London 004 1,125 66 1,150 65 1,139 64 
			 South East London Q07 886 60 904 60 902 60 
			 South West London 008 793 62 788 61 817 63 
			 
			 South East Total  4,839 61 4,943 62 5,017 62 
			 Hampshire and Isle of Wight 017 1,099 62 1,122 63 1,112 62 
			 Kent and Medway 018 901 57 915 58 911 57 
			 Surrey and Sussex Q19 1,531 60 1,571 61 1,587 62 
			 Thames Valley 016 1,308 63 1,335 64 1,407 67 
			 
			 South West Total  3,363 69 3,430 69 3,467 70 
			 Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire 020 1,424 66 1,442 67 1,460 67 
			 Somerset and Dorset 022 846 71 867 73 895 75 
			 South West Peninsula Q21 1,093 70 1,121 71 1,112 70 
		
	
	
		Number (headcount)
		
			   2003 
			   All Practitioners (excl. Ret) All Practitioners (excl. Ret) per 1000,000 population 
		
		
			 England Total  32,593 66 
			 
			 North East Total  1741 n/a 
			 County Durham and Tees Valley 010 758 n/a 
			 Northumberland, Tyne and Wear 009 983 n/a 
			 
			 North West Total  4,400 n/a 
			 Cheshire and Merseyside 015 1,593 n/a 
			 Cumbria and Lancashire 013 1,226 n/a 
			 Greater Manchester 014 1,581 n/a 
			 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber Total  3,424 n/a 
			 North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire 011 1,115 n/a 
			 South Yorkshire Q23 847 n/a 
			 West Yorkshire Q12 1,462 n/a 
			 
			 East Midlands Total  2,598 n/a 
			 Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland Q25 974 n/a 
			 Trent Q24 1,624 n/a 
			 
			 West Midlands Total  3,391 n/a 
			 Birmingham and the Black Country 027 1,491 n/a 
			 Shropshire and Staffordshire 026 897 n/a 
			 West Midlands South 028 1,003 n/a 
			 
			 East of England Total  3,398 n/a 
			 Bedford and Hertfordshire 002 1,014 n/a 
			 Essex 003 907 n/a 
			 Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire 001 1,477 n/a 
			 
			 London Total  4,879 n/a 
			 North Central London 005 850 n/a 
			 North East London 006 986 n/a 
			 North West London 004 1,176 n/a 
			 South East London Q07 979 n/a 
			 South West London 008 888 n/a 
			 
			 South East Total  5,175 n/a 
			 Hampshire and Isle of Wight 017 1,187 n/a 
			 Kent and Medway 018 931 n/a 
			 Surrey and Sussex Q19 1,631 n/a 
			 Thames Valley 016 1,426 n/a 
			 
			 South West Total  3,587 n/a 
			 Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire 020 1,524 n/a 
			 Somerset and Dorset 022 913 n/a 
			 South West Peninsula Q21 1,150 n/a 
		
	
	n/a = Not available.
	(19) All Practitioners (excluding GP Retainers) includes GMS Unrestricted Principals, PMS Contracted GPs, PMS Salaried GPs, Restricted Principals, Assistants, GP Registrars, Salaried Doctors (Para 52 SFA), PMS Other, Flexible Career Schemes and GP Returners.
	Notes:
	1. Strategic Health Authority population figures are derived from the 1992–2000 first revised sub-national population estimates published by ONS 27 February 2003 and so are not consistent with the interim revised national population estimates for 1992–2002 published by ONS 23 October 2003.
	2. Data has been converted to match Strategic Health Authority structures for 2002.
	3. Data as at 1 October 1997–1999, 30 September 2000–2003.
	Sources:
	Department of Health General and Personal Medical Services Statistics.
	2001 ONS Population Census.

General Practitioners

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many whole-time equivalent NHS plan group general practitioners per 100,000 population there were in (a) each region, (b) each strategic health authority and (c) each primary care trust in (i) 2002 and (ii) 2003.

John Hutton: pursuant to his reply, 28 April 2004, Official Report, c. 1090W
	I regret my previous response was incorrect, due to an error in the published figures. The correct figures have now been placed in the Library.

General Practitioners

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many general practitioners there are per head in each primary care trust in England.

John Hutton: pursuant to his reply, 19 May 2004, Official Report, c. 1012W
	I regret that the figures provided in my previous response were incorrect, due to an error in the published figures. Correct figures have now been placed in the Library.

General Practitioners

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many general practitioners there have been per head in Brent, East in each year since 1997.

John Hutton: pursuant to his reply on 19 May 2004 columns 1012–15W
	I regret my previous response was incorrect, due to an error in the published figures. The correct figures are shown in the table.
	
		All Practitioners (excluding GP Retainers but including GP Registrars)(20) per 100,000 patients of Unrestricted Principals and Equivalents (UPEs(21) for North West London SHA and specified organisations, 1997–2003 Numbers (headcount)
		
			   1997 1998 
			   All practitioners (excluding GP Retainers)  Patients of UPEs Practitioners per 100,000 UPE patients All practitioners (excluding GP Retainers)  Patients of UPEs Practitioners per 100,000 UPE patients 
		
		
			 Q04 North West London 1,209 2,031,706 60 1,188 2,011,394 59 
			  of which:   
			 4JC46 Brent Central — — — — — — 
			 4XW97 Brent North — — — — — — 
			 4EF26 Brent South — — — — — — 
			 5K5 Brent PCT — — — — — — 
			 5HX Ealing PCT — — — — — — 
			 5H1 Hammersmith and Fulham — — — — — — 
			 5K6 Harrow PCT — — — — — — 
			 5AT Hillingdon PCT — — — — — — 
			 5HY Hounslow PCT — — — — — — 
			 5LA Kensington and Chelsea PCT — — — — — — 
			 5LC Westminster PCT — — — — — — 
		
	
	
		
			   1999 2000 
			   All practitioners (excluding GP Retainers)  Patients of UPEs Practitioners per 100,000 UPE patients All practitioners (excluding GP Retainers)  Patients of UPEs Practitioners per 100,000 UPE patients 
		
		
			 Q04 North West London 1,134 1,881,696 60 1,125 2,004,915 56 
			 : of which   
			 4JC46 Brent Central 47 93,074 50 50 95,790 52 
			 4XW97 Brent North 65 108,692 60 64 113,029 57 
			 4EF26 Brent South 63 79,638 79 57 98,801 58 
			 5K5 Brent PCT — — — — — — 
			 5HX Ealing PCT — — — — — — 
			 5H1 Hammersmith and Fulham — — — — — — 
			 5K6 Harrow PCT — — — — — — 
			 5AT Hillingdon PCT — — — — — — 
			 5HY Hounslow PCT — — — — — — 
			 5LA Kensington and Chelsea PCT — — — — — — 
			 5LC Westminster PCT — — — — — — 
		
	
	
		
			   2001 2002 
			   All practitioners (excluding GP Retainers)  Patients of UPEs Practitioners per 100,000 UPE patients All practitioners (excluding GP Retainers)  Patients of UPEs Practitioners per 100,000 UPE patients 
		
		
			 Q04 North West London 1,150 2,026,480 57 1,139 2,040,719 56 
			 : of which   
			 4JC46 Brent Central — — — — — — 
			 4XW97 Brent North — — — — — — 
			 4EF26 Brent South — — — — — — 
			 5K5 Brent PCT 184 320,649 57 197 347,890 57 
			 5HX Ealing PCT 198 360,064 55 195 352,583 55 
			 5H1 Hammersmith and Fulham 105 180,949 58 106 186,741 57 
			 5K6 Harrow PCT 142 259,168 55 121 221,675 55 
			 5AT Hillingdon PCT 138 254,204 54 137 253,087 54 
			 5HY Hounslow PCT 123 240,173 51 118 248,171 48 
			 5LA Kensington and Chelsea PCT 124 178,455 69 132 189,307 70 
			 5LC Westminster PCT 136 232,818 58 133 241,265 55 
		
	
	
		
			   2003 
			All practitioners (excluding GP Retainers)   Patients of UPEs Practitioners per 100,000 UPE patients 
		
		
			 Q04 North West London 1,176 2,083,156 56 
			 : of which
			 4JC46 Brent Central — — — 
			 4XW97 Brent North — — — 
			 4EF26 Brent South — — — 
			 5K5 Brent PCT 205 352,148 58 
			 5HX Ealing PCT 194 361,069 54 
			 5H1 Hammersmith and Fulham 96 188,199 51 
			 5K6 Harrow PCT 146 222,615 66 
			 5AT Hillingdon PCT 139 258,940 54 
			 5HY Hounslow PCT 133 253,558 52 
			 5LA Kensington and Chelsea PCT 120 195,743 61 
			 5LC Westminster PCT 143 250,884 57 
		
	
	(20) All Practitioners (excluding GP Retainers) include GMS Unrestricted Principals, PMS Contracted GPs, PMS Salaried GPs, Restricted Principals, Assistants, GP Registrars, Salaried Doctors (Para 52 SFA). PMS Other, GP Retainers. Flexible Career Scheme GPs and GP Returners
	(21) UPEs include GMS Unrestricted Principals, PMS Contracted GPs and PMS Salaried GPs.
	Note:
	Data as at 1 October 1997–99, 30 September 2000–03
	Source:
	Department of Health General and Personal Medical Services Statistics
	
		All practitioners (excluding GP Retainers)(22) per 100,000 patients of Unrestricted Principals and Equivalents (UPEs)(23)for Brent and Harrow HA: 1997–2003
		
			  Numbers (headcount) 
		
		
			 Brent and Harrow HA  
			 1997  
			 All practitioners (excluding GP Retainers) 324 
			 Patients of UPEs 554,018 
			 Practitioners per 100,000 UPE patients 58 
			   
			 1998  
			 All practitioners (excluding GP Retainers) 333 
			 Patients of UPEs 561,395 
			 Practitioners per 100,000 UPE patients 59 
			   
			 1999  
			 All practitioners (excluding GP Retainers) 311 
			 Patients of UPEs 516,923 
			 Practitioners per 100,000 UPE patients 60 
			   
			 2000  
			 All practitioners (excluding GP Retainers) 306 
			 Patients of UPEs 560,208 
			 Practitioners per 100,000 UPE patients 55 
			   
			 2001  
			 All practitioners (excluding GP Retainers) 326 
			 Patients of UPEs 579,817 
			 Practitioners per 100,000 UPE patients 56 
		
	
	(22) All Practitioners (excluding GP Retainers) include GMS Unrestricted Principals, PMS Contracted GPs, PMS Salaried GPs, Restricted Principals, Assistants, GP Registrars, Salaried Doctors (Para 52 SFA). PMS Other. GP Retainers. Flexible Career Scheme GPs and GP Returners
	(23) UPEs include GMS Unrestricted Principals. PMS Contracted GPs and PMS Salaried GPs.
	Note:
	Data as at 1 0ctober 1997–99
	Source:
	Department of Health General and Personal Medical Services Statistics

General Practitioners

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average general practitioner list size was in (a) Birmingham and (b) the Black Country in each of the last 10 years.

Stephen Ladyman: pursuant to his reply, 1 April 2004, c. 260W
	I regret my previous response was incorrect, due to an error in the published figures. The correct figures are shown in the tables.
	
		Unrestricted Principals and Equivalents(24) (UPEs) Average List Size for Birmingham and the Black Country Stategic Health Authority, by Primary Care Trust, 2001–2003
		
			  Number (headcount) 
		
		
			 Birmingham  
			 South Birmingham PCT 1,716 1,659 1,711 
			 North Birmingham PCT 1,886 1,942 1,941 
			 Heart of Birmingham PCT 2,203 2,299 2,385 
			 East Birmingham PCT 1,991 2,024 2,100 
			 Black Country
			 Dudley South PCT 1,927 1,855 1,880 
			 Dudley Beacon and Castle PCT 2,075 2,082 2,018 
			 Walsall PCT 2,063 2,002 2,139 
			 Oldbury and Smethwick PCT 1,884 1,867 1,893 
			 Rowley, Regis and Tipton PCT 2,022 2,041 1,916 
			 Wednesbury and West Bromwich PCT 2,063 1,960 2,035 
			 Wolverhampton City PCT 1,959 1,930 1,992 
			 Other
			 Solihull PCT 1,786 1,795 1,898 
		
	
	(24) UPEs include GMS Unrestricted Principals, PMS Contracted GPs and PMS Salaried GPs. 2003 Patient data has been revised from previously published figures All data as at 30 September
	Source:
	Department of Health General and Personal Medical Services Statistics
	
		Unrestricted Principals and Equivalents(25) (UPEs) Average List Size for Birmingham and the Black Country Strategic Health Authority 1993–2003
		
			  Average list size 
		
		
			 1993 1,993 
			 1994 1,972 
			 1995 1,955 
			 1996 1,945 
			 1997 1,941 
			 1998 1,930 
			 1999 1,967 
			 2000 1,927 
			 2001 1,943 
			 2002 1,928 
			 2003 1,983 
		
	
	(25) UPEs include GMS Unrestricted Principals, PMS Contracted GPs and PMS Salaried GPs. 2003 patient data has been revised from previously published figures Data as at 1 October 1993–99 and 30 September 2000–03.
	Source:
	Department of Health General and Personal Medical Services Statistics

General Practitioners

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many general practitioners per head of population there were in (a) the Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) Tyne and Wear, (d) the North East and (e) England in each year since 1997.

John Hutton: pursuant to his reply, 1 April 2004, Official Report c.1664W
	I regret my previous response was incorrect, due to an error in the published figures. The correct figures are shown in the table.
	
		Unrestricted Principals and Equlvalents(26) (UPEs) per 100,000 patients for England, South Tyneside PCG/PCT, Tyne and Wear and the North East Government Office Region 1997–2003 Numbers (headcount)
		
			 North East 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 
		
		
			 England 53 54 54 54 54 54 54 
			 South Tyneside PC (27)— (27)— 51 51 (27)— (27)— (27)— 
			 South Tyneside PC (27)— (27)— (27)— (27)— 52 52 51 
			 Tyne and Wear 53 53 54 55 57 59 58 
			 North East 53 53 54 55 56 57 57 
		
	
	(26) UPEs include GMS Unrestricted Principals, PMS Contracted GPs and PMS Salaried GPs. Figures for South Tyneside PCG appear comparable to South Tyneside PCT but this is unable to be confirmed Data as at 1 October 1997–1999 and 30 September 2000–2003
	(27) Denotes not available 2003 patient data has been revised from previously published figures
	Source:
	Department of Health General and Personal Medical Services Statistics

NHS Staff (York)

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many full-time equivalent NHS (a) consultants and (b) other hospital doctors there were in each specialty in hospitals in the greater York area in (i) 1994 and (ii) each year since then.

Melanie Johnson: The information requested is shown in the table.
	
		Hospital. Public Health Medicine and Community Health Services (HCHS) medical and dental staff:within the Greater York area by specialty As at 30 September 2003Whole-time equivalents
		
			   1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 
		
		
			  Total for specified trusts 186 232 215 261 274 283 281 268 267 324 
			 
			  Selby and York PCT — — — — — — — 10 30 30 
			 5E2 Accident and emergency — — — — — — — 3 2 2 
			  Child and adolescent psychiatry — — — — — — — — 3 2 
			  Dental public health — — — — — — — 5 — — 
			  Forensic psychiatry — — — — — — — — — — 
			  General Psychiatry — — — — — — — — 12 12 
			  Geriatric medicine — — — — — — — — 0 1 
			  Learning disabilities — — — — — — — 2 2 2 
			  Old age psychiatry — — — — — — — — 10 10 
			  Palliative medicine — — — — — — — 1 1 1 
			  Other — — — — — — — — 0 0 
			 
			  York Health Services NHS Trust 186 232 215 261 274 283 281 258 237 294 
			 RGB Accident and emergency 9 16 18 17 16 17 14 10 10 14 
			  Anaesthetics (inc. Intensive Care) 20 23 24 29 29 31 29 33 30 45 
			  Cardiology 2 2 3 3 2 4 7 6 5 4 
			  Chemical pathology 1 0  1 1 1 1 1 1 1 
			  Child and adolescent psychiatry 2 — 1 1 1 1 2 — 1 2 
			  Clinical neurophysiology 1 0 0 — 0 0 0 0 1 1 
			  Clinical radiology 6 6 8 11 11 13 11 9 10 10 
			  Dental public health — — — — 4 4 4 — — — 
			  Dermatology 2 3 3 5 3 3 4 4 4 4 
			  Endocrinology and diabetes melitus 2 3 4 2 2 2 3 3 4 4 
			  Forensic psychiatry — — — — 1 — 1 1 — — 
			  Gastroenterology 2 2 2 3 3 2 3 3 4 3 
			  General Psychiatry 20 21 26 26 28 21 23 16 1 3 
			  General surgery 11 12 9 18 16 19 21 21 26 30 
			  Genito-urinary medicine 1 1 1 2 2 1 3 2 4 4 
			  Geriatric medicine 9 12 10 12 13 14 14 14 13 18 
			  Haematology 2 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 
			  Histopathology 2 3 2 5 5 5 5 6 8 7 
			  Infectious diseases — — — — — — — — 1 — 
			  Learning disabilities 2 2 2 1 2 1 1 — 1 — 
			  Medical microbiology and virology 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 
			  Neurology 1 3 5 6 5 8 6 6 4 4 
			  Obstetrics and gynaecology 14 17 14 20 19 20 19 18 16 23 
			  Occupational health — 1 — — — — — 1 1 1 
			  Old age psychiatry 1 9 8 11 11 12 11 12 1 1 
			  Ophthalmology 7 9 8 7 8 9 9 8 10 12 
			  Oral and maxillo facial surgery 6 9 7 10 10 12 11 9 6 9 
			  Orthodontics 2 1 1 1 1 2 1 3 3 4 
			  Otolaryngology 4 5 5 6 7 7 9 8 8 8 
			  Paediatrics 9 15 13 18 17 13 15 15 17 23 
			  Palliative medicine — — — — 0 0 1 — — — 
			  Public health medicine — 7 7 — 4 5 4 — — — 
			  Renal medicine 1 1  1 1 3 4 4 4 4 
			  Respiratory medicine 1 2 2 3 4 3 3 2 3 3 
			  Rheumatology 1 1 1 2 1 2 1 2 2 2 
			  Trauma and orthopaedic surgery 12 14 13 14 16 18 18 17 16 22 
			  Urology 5 10 8 7 7 8 8 7 7 6 
			  Other 24 20 7 17 21 17 14 15 13 18 
		
	
	
		Whole-time equivalents
		
			   Of which: Consultant 
			   1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 June 2004 
		
		
			  Total for specified trusts 82 87 72 102 98 110 109 121 127 134 143 
			  
			  Selby and York PCT — — — — — — — 1 14 15 18 
			 5E2 Accident and emergency — — — — — — — — — — — 
			  Child and adolescent psychiatry — — — — — — — — 2 2 3 
			  Dental public health — — — — — — — — — — — 
			  Forensic psychiatry — — — — — — — — — — 1 
			  General Psychiatry — — — — — — — — — — 7 
			  Geriatric medicine — — — — — — — — — 1 — 
			  Learning disabilities — — — — — — — 0 1 1 2 
			  Old age psychiatry — — — — — — — — 10 10 4 
			  Palliative medicine — — — — — — — 1 1 1 1 
			  Other — — — — — — — — — — — 
			  
			  York Health Services NHS Trust 82 87 72 102 98 110 109 120 113 119 126 
			 RGB Accident and emergency 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 4 4 
			  Anaesthetics (inc. Intensive Care) 12 13 11 14 15 18 17 20 21 21 23 
			  Cardiology 2 2 2 2 2 2 4 4 4 4 4 
			  Chemical pathology 1 0 — 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 
			  Child and adolescent psychiatry 2 — — — — — — — — — — 
			  Clinical neurophysiology 1 — — — — — — — 1 1 1 
			  Clinical radiology 6 5 7 8 9 10 8 8 9 9 10 
			  Dental public health — — — — — — — — — — — 
			  Dermatology 1 3 3 5 3 3 4 4 4 4 4 
			  Endocrinology and diabetes melitus 2 2 2 2 1 1 2 2 2 3 3 
			  Forensic psychiatry — — — — — — — — — — — 
			  Gastroenterology 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 
			  General Psychiatry 7 — — — — — 1 1 — — — 
			  General surgery 4 5 4 6 3 6 6 8 8 9 9 
			  Genito-urinary medicine 1 1 1 2 2 1 2 2 2 2 3 
			  Geriatric medicine 4 4 2 4 4 4 5 5 5 6 7 
			  Haematology 2 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 2 
			  Histopathology 2 3 2 4 4 4 4 5 5 5 5 
			  Infectious diseases — — — — — — — — — — — 
			  Learning disabilities 1 1 — 0 0 0 0 — — — — 
			  Medical microbiology and virology 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 
			  Neurology 1 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 3 3 3 
			  Obstetrics and gynaecology 4 4 4 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 
			  Occupational health — — — — — — — — — — — 
			  Old age psychiatry 1 9 8 10 10 11 8 10 — — — 
			  Ophthalmology 3 5 5 2 2 3 4 4 4 5 5 
			  Oral and maxillo facial surgery 3 5 3 5 5 6 5 3 3 3 3 
			  Orthodontics 2 — — — — 1 — 2 2 2 2 
			  Otolaryngology 2 1 2 2 3 3 3 3 5 4 4 
			  Paediatrics 4 5 3 7 5 5 5 5 5 6 5 
			  Palliative medicine — — — — 0 0 1 — — — — 
			  Public health medicine — — — — — — — — — — — 
			  Renal medicine 1 1 — 1 1 2 2 3 3 3 4 
			  Respiratory medicine 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 
			  Rheumatology 1 1 — 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 
			  Trauma and orthopaedic surgery 4 4 3 4 5 6 6 6 6 8 8 
			  Urology 2 3 1 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 
			  Other 1 — — 1 — — — — — — — 
		
	
	Notes:
	'—' denotes zero.
	'0' denotes less than one more than zero.
	Source:
	Department of Health medical and dental workforce census.

Patient Statistics (Wandsworth)

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients there were per general practitioner within the London borough of Wandsworth at the most recent recorded date.

John Hutton: pursuant to his reply, 24 May 2004, Official Report, c. 1389W
	I regret my previous response was incorrect, due to an error in the published figures. The correct figures are shown in the table.
	
		Patients of Unrestricted Principals and Equivalents (UPEs)(28) for Wandsworth PCT Number (headcount)
		
			  Wandsworth PCT 
		
		
			 UPEs 174 
			 Patients of UPEs 309,365 
			 Average list size 1,778 
		
	
	(28) UPEs include GMS unrestricted principals, PMS contracted general practitioners and PMS salaried GPs.
	Data as at 30 September 2003.
	Patient data have been revised from previously published figures.
	Source:
	Department of Health general and personal medical services statistics.

Post-Laryngectomy Equipment

Helen Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the difficulties in communication faced by people who have had laryngectomies.

Stephen Ladyman: No assessment has been carried out centrally.

Teriparatide

Huw Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of teriparatide for the treatment of osteoporosis;
	(2)  what guidance is given to local health trusts and local health boards about the availability of teriparatide on the NHS.

Stephen Ladyman: Teriparatide is being considered as part of the National Institute for Clinical Excellence's (NICE's) appraisal of the clinical effectiveness and cost effectiveness of technologies for the secondary prevention of osteoporotic fractures in postmenopausal women. NICE has developed guidance in consultation with a number of stakeholders. Final guidance was due to be published in October 2004, covering both England and Wales, but an appeal has been received against the final appraisal determination and guidance on this technology. NICE has arranged for the appeal panel to convene on 22 October 2004 to hear oral representations from the appellant. Full details are available on the NICE website at www.nice.org.uk.
	In August 1999, the Department issued Health Service Circular 1999/176, which asks national health service bodies to continue with local arrangements for the managed introduction of new technologies where guidance from NICE is not available at the time the technology first became available. These arrangements should involve an assessment of all the available evidence. The circular applies to England only.